Photoelectron spectroscopy study of metallic nanocluster arrangement at the surface of reactively sputtered amorphous hydrogenated carbon

Journal Article · Thu Mar 31 23:00:00 EST 2005 · Journal of Applied Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.1870093· OSTI ID:20668290

Videnovic, Ivan R; Oelhafen, Peter ^[1]

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1. Institut fuer Physik, Universitaet Basel, Klingelbergstr. 82, CH-4056 Basel (Switzerland)

We report on the results of the arrangement of isolated surface metallic nanoclusters embedded in amorphous hydrogenated carbon (a-C:H) thin films, studied by photoelectron spectroscopy. As a model system we used gold-containing amorphous hydrogenated carbon (a-C:H/Au), due to the lack of reactivity between carbon and gold. The a-C:H/Au samples are obtained by simultaneous magnetron sputtering of Au target by argon and plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition of methane. Photoelectron spectroscopy with x-ray and ultraviolet excitation has been employed for surface studies that comprise as-deposited sample spectra recordings, measurements at off-normal takeoff angle, in situ in-depth profiling by Ar{sup +} ion etching, and thiophene adsorption at the sample surface. The results of these extended studies firmly support previously drawn conclusions [I. R. Videnovic, V. Thommen, P. Oelhafen, D. Mathys, M. Dueggelin, and R. Guggenheim, Appl. Phys. Lett 80, 2863 (2002)] that by deposition on electrically grounded substrates one obtains samples with topmost Au clusters covered with a thin layer of a-C:H. Introducing a dc substrate bias voltage results in bald Au clusters on the surface and increased sp{sup 2}/sp{sup 3} coordinated carbon ratio in the a-C:H matrix.

• OSTI ID: 20668290
• Journal Information: Journal of Applied Physics, Journal Name: Journal of Applied Physics Journal Issue: 7 Vol. 97; ISSN JAPIAU; ISSN 0021-8979
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
ADSORPTION
AMORPHOUS STATE
ARGON
ARGON IONS
CARBON
CHEMICAL VAPOR DEPOSITION
ETCHING
GOLD
HYDROGENATION
METHANE
NANOSTRUCTURES
PLASMA
REACTIVITY
SPUTTERING
SUBSTRATES
SURFACES
THIN FILMS
THIOPHENE
ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION
X-RAY PHOTOELECTRON SPECTROSCOPY