  Rhombohedral B4C coatings were synthesised on fused silica substrates by CO2
laser-assisted chemical vapour deposition (LCVD), using a dynamic reactive
atmosphere of BCl3, C2H4 and H2. Films with carbon content from 15 to 22 at.%
were grown at deposition rates as high as 0.12 micrometers per second. The
kinetics of the reactive system used to deposit the B4C films and the influence
of growth conditions on the structure and morphology of the deposits were
investigated.
  Keywords: Rhombohedral boron carbide (r-B4C), Laser-CVD, growth kinetics.
