Influence of high pressure on cathodoluminescence of cubic boron nitride

Abstract

It is shown that the pressure treatment of boron nitride (BNsph) polycrystals at room temperature results in the change of broad band parameters (A, B, C) and zero-phonon lines of cathodoluminescent (CL) spectra, and in the appearance of RC centers. In the pressure treated ceramic samples BNsph the PC-1 (2.84 eV), PC-2 (2.325 eV), PC-3 (1.79 eV) centers of presumably interstitial nature are found. The comparative analysis of the dependence of the broad bands parameters and zero-phonon lines of the GC centers in the CL spectra of boron nitride on pressure makes it possible to connect the appearance of the A and B bands in the energy range 1.85 to 3.25 eV with electronic states in the band gap due to multi vacancy complexes based on boron and nitrogen vacancies, respectively, while the appearance of the C band (1.55 to 1.85 eV) with the plastic deformation of BNsph.