@article{b46ad477ef6d4e75a530358a0a7e9ff5,
title = "Electron diffraction radial distribution function analysis of amorphous boron carbide synthesized by ion beam irradiation and chemical vapor deposition",
abstract = "Amorphous boron carbide (a-BxC) networks consist of light elements, and their low atomic scattering factors makes structural analysis by x-ray diffraction difficult. Electron diffraction has an advantage of detecting the light elements, because of the strong interaction between the matter and electrons. We prepared a-BxC by ion beam technologies and plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition, and characterized their structures via atomic pair-distribution functions derived from electron diffraction intensity profiles. It was found that a pentagonal pyramid is the most favorable cluster in a-B4C generated by ion irradiation, while C[sbnd]C homonuclear bonds were formed in the deposited a-BxC thin film. X-ray photoemission spectroscopy revealed that the a-BxC thin film possesses more carbon than B4C, which is responsible for the formation of the homonuclear bonds.",
keywords = "Amorphous, Atomic pair-distribution function, Boron carbide, Electron diffraction",
author = "Manabu Ishimaru and Ryusuke Nakamura and Yanwen Zhang and Weber, \{William J.\} and Peterson, \{George G.\} and Ianno, \{Natale J.\} and Michael Nastasi",
note = "Funding Information: This work was supported in part by Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B) (Grant No. 19H02463) from the Ministry of Education, Sports, Science, and Technology, Japan (MI). A part of this work was supported by “Advanced Characterization Nanotechnology Platform, Nanotechnology Platform Program of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), Japan” at the Ultramicroscopy Research Center in Kyushu University (JPMXP09-A-19-KU-0034). We are grateful to Dr. Mitsunari Auchi of Kyushu University for his helpful support in focused ion beam fabrications. The XPS measurements were supported by Mr. Masatoshi Takeo of the Center for Instrumental Analysis, Kyushu Institute of Technology. The ion irradiations were supported by the Governor's Chair program at the University of Tennessee. Mrs. Kousuke Nishikuma and Takemasa Umeda of Kyushu Institute of Technology contributed partly to the TEM analyses. Funding Information: This work was supported in part by Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B) (Grant No. 19H02463 ) from the Ministry of Education, Sports, Science, and Technology, Japan (MI). A part of this work was supported by “Advanced Characterization Nanotechnology Platform, Nanotechnology Platform Program of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), Japan” at the Ultramicroscopy Research Center in Kyushu University ( JPMXP09-A-19-KU-0034 ). We are grateful to Dr. Mitsunari Auchi of Kyushu University for his helpful support in focused ion beam fabrications. The XPS measurements were supported by Mr. Masatoshi Takeo of the Center for Instrumental Analysis, Kyushu Institute of Technology . The ion irradiations were supported by the Governor{\textquoteright}s Chair program at the University of Tennessee . Mrs. Kousuke Nishikuma and Takemasa Umeda of Kyushu Institute of Technology contributed partly to the TEM analyses. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2021 Elsevier Ltd",
year = "2022",
month = feb,
doi = "10.1016/j.jeurceramsoc.2021.10.020",
language = "English",
volume = "42",
pages = "376--382",
journal = "Journal of the European Ceramic Society",
issn = "0955-2219",
publisher = "Elsevier B.V.",
number = "2",
}