Synthesis And Characterization Of Diamond-like Carbon Films By Rf. PECVD

In this article we successfully synthesized diamond-like carbon (DLC) films on the stainless steel, glass and silicon substrates using C4H10(or CH4) and argon as source gases by radio frequency plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (rf PECVD) process. The morphology and microstructure of the films were studied with scanning electronic microscopy(SEM), atomic-force microscopy(AFM), X-ray diffraction spectroscopy (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Raman spectroscopy et. The mechanical and friction properties were tested by the microhardess meter, scratch tester and surfTest. From the tests, we found the relationship of the friction properties to the deposition parameters and test conditions. In addition, we studied the self-lubricant and the worn mechanism of DLC films.In the rf PECVD system, a negative bias voltage could occur because of the effect of the plama, which took advantage to the synthesis of the DLC films; with the help of the Ti/TiN/TiC interlays, we successfully deposited a certain thickness DLC films on the stainless steel with good bonding strength. Optimizing the deposition parameters, we could also deposited the DLC films on the glass and silicon substrate to expand the application of the films.The SEM images of the DLC films on the stainless steel substrates implied that the films are composed of almost homogeneous particles of which the grain size is about 400 nm. Through the XRD analyse, we think the DLC films were amorphous carbon. In addition, there were TiN and TiC peaks in the XRD spectra, which implied there were some minute disfigurement on the film surface; From the side morphology it is seen that the DLC film had been firmly bonded to the substrate without crack and delamination; As AFM images shown, the surface of DLC films is comparatively flat with light areas increasing especially the number of island-like points increases obviously, which demonstrated that the armorphous films'growth mechanism is nothing but an aggregation process of a great number of armorphous...