Influence of the Ion Flux and the Bias Voltage on Microstructure of Hydrogenated Amorphous Carbon Films Deposited by DC Magnetron Sputtering
Abstract
This research is concerned with the deposition process for hydrogenated amorphous carbon films (a-C:H) by DC magnetron sputtering in He/C2H2 gas mixtures. More specifically, the influence of ion flux and substrate bias voltage on the microstructure of a-C:H films has been investigated. It was shown from the Langmuir probe that ion flux at the substrate position is in the range of 1018-1019 m-2s-1 for the given process conditions. Furthermore, the flux of ions is proportional to the discharge power, however, nearly independent from the substrate bias voltage. The microstructure of a-C:H films has been investigated using Raman spectroscopy. It was found that increasing the amount of ion flux gives rise to an increase sp2/sp3 ratio indicating a larger grain size of the graphite structure in the a-C:H films. However, the substrate bias over -200 V results in a dramatic decrease of sp2/sp3 ratio presenting a higher diamond-like structure in the deposited films. Keywords: a-C:H films, DC magnetron sputtering, substrate bias, Ion flux, microstructureReferences
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Bewilogua, K., & Hofmann, D. (2014). History of diamond-like carbon films - From first experiments to worldwide applications. Surface and Coatings Technology, 242, 214–225.
Chabert, P., & Braithwaite, N. (2011). Physics of radio-frequency plasmas. Physics of Radio-Frequency Plasmas (Vol. 9780521763).
Chen, F. (2003). Langmuir probe diagnostics. Mini-Course on Plasma Diagnostics, IEEE-ICOPS Meeting, 42.
Choi, W. S., & Honga, B. (2008). The effect of annealing on the properties of diamond-like carbon protective antireflection coatings. Renewable Energy, 33, 226–231.
Corbella, C., Bialuch, I., Kleinschmidt, M., & Bewilogua, K. (2008). Modified DLC coatings prepared in a large-scale reactor by dual microwave/pulsed-DC plasma-activated chemical vapour deposition. Thin Solid Films, 517(3), 1125–1130.
Erdemir, A., & Donnet, C. (2006). Tribology of diamond-like carbon films: Recent progress and future prospects. Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics, 39(18), 311–327.
Ferrari A. C., LiBassi A., Tanner B. K., Stolojan V., Yuan J., Brown L. M., Rodil S. E., Kleinsorge B., & Robertson J. (2000). Density, sp3 fraction, and cross-sectional structure of amorphous carbon films determined by x-ray reflectivity and electron energy-loss spectroscopy. Physical Review B, 62, 11089-11103.
Ferrari, A. C., Robertson, J. (2000). Interpretation of Raman spectra of disordered and amorphous carbon. Physical Review B, 61, 14095-14107.
Flege, S., Hatada, R., Hanauer, A., Ensinger, W., Morimura, T., & Baba, K. (2017). Preparation of Metal-Containing Diamond-Like Carbon Films by Magnetron Sputtering and Plasma Source Ion Implantation and Their Properties. Advances in Materials Science and Engineering, 2017.
Furlan, K. P., Klein, A. N., & Hotza, D. (2013). Diamond-like carbon films deposited by hydrocarbon plasma sources. Reviews on Advanced Materials Science, 34, 165–172.
Gilkes, K. W. R., Prawer, S., Nugent, K. W., Robertson, J., & Sands, H. S. (2000). Direct quantitative detection of the sp3 bonding in diamond-like carbon films using ultraviolet and visible Raman spectroscopy Direct quantitative detection of the sp3 bonding in diamond-like carbon films using ultraviolet and visible Raman spectroscopy, Journal of Applied Physics, 7283.
Grill, A. (1999). Electrical and optical properties of diamond-like carbon, Thin Solid Films, 356, 189–193.
Henderson, P. S., Kelly, P. J., Arnell, R. D., Backer, H., & Bradley, J. W. (2003). Investigation into the properties of titanium based films deposited using pulsed magnetron sputtering. Surface and Coatings Technology, 174–175, 720–724.
Lespade, P., Al-Jishi, R., Dresselhaus, M. S., (1982). Model for Raman scattering from incompletely graphitized carbons. Carbon, 20, 427-431.
Lettington, A. H. (1998). Applications of diamond-like carbon thin films. Carbon, 36(5–6), 555–560.
Menegazzo, N., Kahn, M., Berghauser, R., & Mizaikoff, B. (2011). Nitrogen-doped diamond-like carbon as optically transparent electrode for infrared attenuated total reflection spectroelectrochemistry, 1831–1839.
Peng, X., Barber, Z., & Clyne, T. (2001). Surface roughness of diamond-like carbon films prepared using various techniques. Surface and Coatings Technology, 138(1), 23–32.
Ray, S. C., Mukherjee, D., Sarma, S., Bhattacharya, G., Mathur, A., Roy, S. S., & McLaughlin, J. A. (2017). Functional diamond like carbon (DLC) coatings on polymer for improved gas barrier performance. Diamond and Related Materials, 80(September), 59–63.
Robertson, J. (2002). Diamond-like amorphous carbon, 37, 129–281.
Schwan, J., Ulrich, S., Bathori,V., Erhardt, H., & Silva, S. R. P. (1996). Raman spectroscopy on amorphous carbon films. Journal of Applied Physics, 80, 440.
Sellers, J. (1998). Asymmetric bipolar pulsed DC: The enabling technology for reactive PVD. Surface and Coatings Technology, 98(1–3), 1245–1250.
Tai, F. C., Lee, S. C., Wei, C. H., & Tyan, S. L. (2006). Correlation between ID/IG Ratio from Visible Raman Spectra and sp2/sp3 Ratio from XPS Spectra of Annealed Hydrogenated DLC Film. Materials Transactions, 47, 1847-1852.
Wang, Y., Ye, Y., Li, H., Ji, L., Chen, J., & Zhou, H. (2011). A magnetron sputtering technique to prepare a-C:H films: Effect of substrate bias. Applied Surface Science, 257(6), 1990–1995.
Weiler, M., Sattel, S., Giessen, T., Jung, K., Ehrhardt, H., Veerasamy, V., & Robertson, J. (1996). Preparation and properties of highly tetrahedral hydrogenated amorphous carbon.
Weiler, M., Lang, K., Li, E., & Robertson, J. (1998). Deposition of tetrahedral hydrogenated amorphous carbon using a novel electron cyclotron wave resonance reactor. Applied Physics Letters, 72, 1314.
Asari E. (2000). An effect of the extended cascade on the Raman spectra of ion-irradiatedgraphite. Carbon, 38, 1857–1861.
Bewilogua, K., & Hofmann, D. (2014). History of diamond-like carbon films - From first experiments to worldwide applications. Surface and Coatings Technology, 242, 214–225.
Chabert, P., & Braithwaite, N. (2011). Physics of radio-frequency plasmas. Physics of Radio-Frequency Plasmas (Vol. 9780521763).
Chen, F. (2003). Langmuir probe diagnostics. Mini-Course on Plasma Diagnostics, IEEE-ICOPS Meeting, 42.
Choi, W. S., & Honga, B. (2008). The effect of annealing on the properties of diamond-like carbon protective antireflection coatings. Renewable Energy, 33, 226–231.
Corbella, C., Bialuch, I., Kleinschmidt, M., & Bewilogua, K. (2008). Modified DLC coatings prepared in a large-scale reactor by dual microwave/pulsed-DC plasma-activated chemical vapour deposition. Thin Solid Films, 517(3), 1125–1130.
Erdemir, A., & Donnet, C. (2006). Tribology of diamond-like carbon films: Recent progress and future prospects. Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics, 39(18), 311–327.
Ferrari A. C., LiBassi A., Tanner B. K., Stolojan V., Yuan J., Brown L. M., Rodil S. E., Kleinsorge B., & Robertson J. (2000). Density, sp3 fraction, and cross-sectional structure of amorphous carbon films determined by x-ray reflectivity and electron energy-loss spectroscopy. Physical Review B, 62, 11089-11103.
Ferrari, A. C., Robertson, J. (2000). Interpretation of Raman spectra of disordered and amorphous carbon. Physical Review B, 61, 14095-14107.
Flege, S., Hatada, R., Hanauer, A., Ensinger, W., Morimura, T., & Baba, K. (2017). Preparation of Metal-Containing Diamond-Like Carbon Films by Magnetron Sputtering and Plasma Source Ion Implantation and Their Properties. Advances in Materials Science and Engineering, 2017.
Furlan, K. P., Klein, A. N., & Hotza, D. (2013). Diamond-like carbon films deposited by hydrocarbon plasma sources. Reviews on Advanced Materials Science, 34, 165–172.
Gilkes, K. W. R., Prawer, S., Nugent, K. W., Robertson, J., & Sands, H. S. (2000). Direct quantitative detection of the sp3 bonding in diamond-like carbon films using ultraviolet and visible Raman spectroscopy Direct quantitative detection of the sp3 bonding in diamond-like carbon films using ultraviolet and visible Raman spectroscopy, Journal of Applied Physics, 7283.
Grill, A. (1999). Electrical and optical properties of diamond-like carbon, Thin Solid Films, 356, 189–193.
Henderson, P. S., Kelly, P. J., Arnell, R. D., Backer, H., & Bradley, J. W. (2003). Investigation into the properties of titanium based films deposited using pulsed magnetron sputtering. Surface and Coatings Technology, 174–175, 720–724.
Lespade, P., Al-Jishi, R., Dresselhaus, M. S., (1982). Model for Raman scattering from incompletely graphitized carbons. Carbon, 20, 427-431.
Lettington, A. H. (1998). Applications of diamond-like carbon thin films. Carbon, 36(5–6), 555–560.
Menegazzo, N., Kahn, M., Berghauser, R., & Mizaikoff, B. (2011). Nitrogen-doped diamond-like carbon as optically transparent electrode for infrared attenuated total reflection spectroelectrochemistry, 1831–1839.
Peng, X., Barber, Z., & Clyne, T. (2001). Surface roughness of diamond-like carbon films prepared using various techniques. Surface and Coatings Technology, 138(1), 23–32.
Ray, S. C., Mukherjee, D., Sarma, S., Bhattacharya, G., Mathur, A., Roy, S. S., & McLaughlin, J. A. (2017). Functional diamond like carbon (DLC) coatings on polymer for improved gas barrier performance. Diamond and Related Materials, 80(September), 59–63.
Robertson, J. (2002). Diamond-like amorphous carbon, 37, 129–281.
Schwan, J., Ulrich, S., Bathori,V., Erhardt, H., & Silva, S. R. P. (1996). Raman spectroscopy on amorphous carbon films. Journal of Applied Physics, 80, 440.
Sellers, J. (1998). Asymmetric bipolar pulsed DC: The enabling technology for reactive PVD. Surface and Coatings Technology, 98(1–3), 1245–1250.
Tai, F. C., Lee, S. C., Wei, C. H., & Tyan, S. L. (2006). Correlation between ID/IG Ratio from Visible Raman Spectra and sp2/sp3 Ratio from XPS Spectra of Annealed Hydrogenated DLC Film. Materials Transactions, 47, 1847-1852.
Wang, Y., Ye, Y., Li, H., Ji, L., Chen, J., & Zhou, H. (2011). A magnetron sputtering technique to prepare a-C:H films: Effect of substrate bias. Applied Surface Science, 257(6), 1990–1995.
Weiler, M., Sattel, S., Giessen, T., Jung, K., Ehrhardt, H., Veerasamy, V., & Robertson, J. (1996). Preparation and properties of highly tetrahedral hydrogenated amorphous carbon.
Weiler, M., Lang, K., Li, E., & Robertson, J. (1998). Deposition of tetrahedral hydrogenated amorphous carbon using a novel electron cyclotron wave resonance reactor. Applied Physics Letters, 72, 1314.
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2019-07-05
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