AVS 46th International Symposium
    Thin Films Division Monday Sessions
       Session TF+VM-MoA

Paper TF+VM-MoA2
Effects of Interface Mixing on Adhesion of Amorphous Carbon Films Synthesized by Variable-Energy Direct Carbon Ion Beam Deposition

Monday, October 25, 1999, 2:20 pm, Room 620

Session: Advances in Hard and Superhard Coatings II
Presenter: M.H. Sohn, SKION Corporation
Authors: M.H. Sohn, SKION Corporation
S. Kim, SKION Corporation
Correspondent: Click to Email
Using a variable-energy direct carbon ion beam deposition technique, thin amorphous carbon films were grown on silicon substrate. Interface modification was performed using C@super -@ energies in the range of 300-500 eV prior to the growth of the film to enhance adhesion of the film. By lowering the energy of the C@super -@ beam to 150 eV, amorphous carbon film was continuously grown after the interface modification. High-resolution electron microscopy illustrated that the silicon surface was severely damaged by 500 eV C@super -@ beam and the thickness of damage layer was about 15 nm. Carbon composition profile in silicon investigated by electron energy loss spectroscopy showed that 500 eV C@super -@ beam implanted carbon into silicon up to 30 nm in depth and carbon was mixed with silicon at this implanted region. Silicon L-edge study at the C/Si mixed region found C-Si bonding formation only at the surface of silicon over 2-3 nm-thick layers. The damage layer or C/Si mixing was not observed at 300 eV C@super -@ beam modification. Wear testing found that strong adhesion occurred in samples modified at 500 eV, which indicated complete mixing at the interface. At 300 eV, modified samples exhibited delamination failure, which indicated inferior adhesion of the films.