Effect of ion bombardment on the phase composition and mechanical properties of diamond-like carbon films

• Published in: Surface investigation, x-ray, synchrotron and neutron techniques Vol. 8; no. 1; pp. 45 - 49
• Main Authors: Karaseov, P. A., Podsvirov, O. A., Titov, A. I., Karabeshkin, K. V., Vinogradov, A. Ya, Belyakov, V. S., Arkhipov, A. V., Nikulina, L. M., Shakhmin, A. L., Shubina, E. N., Karasev, N. N.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Moscow Pleiades Publishing 2014
• Subjects: Chemistry and Materials Science; Materials Science; Surfaces and Interfaces; Thin Films; Neutron Technique; Chemical Vapor Deposition Method; Pure Methane; Diamond Like Carbon Film; Carbon Film
• ISSN: 1027-4510; 1819-7094
• DOI: 10.1134/S1027451013060098

It is established that the addition of hydrogen to methane in the reaction mixture upon the fabrication of diamond-like carbon films via the plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition method decreases residual stresses in the obtained films and significantly reduces their growth rate. The films were investigated via atomic force microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Irradiation of the prepared films with P
+
and PF
4
+
ions results in strong sample swelling with increasing dose, as well as in a decrease in the compressive stress up to transition to tensile one reaching saturation. Moreover, the fraction of
sp
3
bonds increases with increasing ion dose while the fraction of
sp
2
bonds decreases symmetrically with the processes proceeding faster upon irradiation with molecular ions. Qualitative mechanisms explaining the experimental results are proposed.