Studies of thin films of Li-B alloys

Abstract Thin films of Li-B alloys have been prepared on a glass substrate in a vacuum of 10 -6 Torr making use of the reaction of lithium and boron by the Sandwich-Type Evaporation Method. In this method Li-B films are deposited using LiBH 4 and lithium metal by cycling in the order of Li-B from a Ta boat first, Li-B and Li from another Ta boat secondly, and Li-B last continuously to make a sandwich-type structure. As a result, it is found from the electron diffraction method that Li-B films of 1 μm thick deposited at 450°C have interplanar spacings ( d =3.57, 2.06 A) which correspond to those of the Li 7 B 6 compound. On the other hand, LiAl x B 1− x films have been prepared evaporating Al and (Li-B+Li) at 350°C by the Sandwich-Type Evaporation Method. For LiAl x B 1− x films, the electron diffraction patterns are in agreement with the ASTM data for the NaTl-type LiAl compound. The (220), (311), (400), (311) and (422) planes are observed.