A study of the chemical, mechanical, and surface properties of thin films of hydrogenated amorphous carbon
Amorphous hydrogenated carbon (a-C:H) films were studied with the objective of elucidating the nucleation and growth mechanisms, and the origin of their unique physical properties. The films were deposited onto Si(100) substrates both on the powered (negatively self-biased) and on the grounded electrodes from methane in an rf plasma (13.56 MHz) at 65 mTorr and 300 to 370 K. The films produced at the powered electrode exhibited superior mechanical properties, such as high hardness. A mass spectrometer was used to identify neutral species and positive ions incident on the electrodes from the plasma, and also to measure ion energies. The effect of varying ion energy flux on the properties of a-C:H films was investigated using a novel pulsed biasing technique. It was demonstrated that ions were not the dominant deposition species as the total ion flux measured was insufficient to account for the observed deposition rate. The interface between thin films of a-C:H and silicon substrates was investigated using angle resolved x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. A silicon carbide layer was detected at the interface of a hard a-C:H film formed at the powered electrode. At the grounded electrode, where the kinetic energy is low, no interfacial carbide layer was observed. Scanning tunneling microscopy and high energy electron energy loss spectroscopy was used to investigate the initial stages of growth of a-C:H films. On graphite substrates, films formed at the powered electrode were observed to nucleate in clusters approximately 50 {Angstrom} in diameter, while at the grounded electrode no cluster formation was observed. 58 figs.
- Research Organization:
- Lawrence Berkeley Lab., CA (USA)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- DOE/ER
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC03-76SF00098
- OSTI ID:
- 6637587
- Report Number(s):
- LBL-29258; ON: DE91000357
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
360601 -- Other Materials-- Preparation & Manufacture
360602 -- Other Materials-- Structure & Phase Studies
360603* -- Materials-- Properties
ALKANES
AUGER ELECTRON SPECTROSCOPY
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CHARGED PARTICLES
CHEMICAL COATING
CHEMICAL PROPERTIES
CHEMICAL VAPOR DEPOSITION
DEPOSITION
ELECTRON SPECTROSCOPY
ELEMENTS
FILMS
HARDNESS
HYDRIDES
HYDROCARBONS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
IONS
MASS SPECTROSCOPY
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
METHANE
NUCLEATION
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PHOTOELECTRON SPECTROSCOPY
PLASMA
SEMIMETALS
SILICON
SPECTROSCOPY
SURFACE COATING
THIN FILMS