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       Session TF-FrM

Paper TF-FrM3
Structural, Mechanical and Electrical Properties of DLC Films Deposited by DC Magnetron Sputtering

Friday, November 2, 2001, 9:00 am, Room 123

Session: Diamond and Related Materials
Presenter: E. Broitman, College of William and Mary
Authors: E. Broitman, College of William and Mary
Zs. Czigáni, Linköping University, Sweden
L. Hultman, Linköping University, Sweden
B.C. Holloway, College of William and Mary
Correspondent: Click to Email
The microstructure, morphology, growth rate, surface roughness, surface energy, electrical and mechanical properties of diamond-like carbon (DLC) films deposited by direct current (d.c.) magnetron sputtering on Si substrates at room temperature were investigated. Film properties were found to vary markedly with the pressure (P@sub Ar@), bias voltage (V@sub B@), and discharge current (I@sub T@). Plan-views HRTEM revealed an amorphous microstructure, however cross-sectional SEM shows a columnar structure at the higher V@sub B@. Film stresses were found to be compressive in all cases, increasing from 0.5 GPa for grounded substrates to 3.5 GPa for films deposited at V@sub B@ = - 90 V and I@sub T@ = 0.3 A. Film stress was not affected by V@sub B@ at I@sub T@ = 0.9 A. The hardness (H), Young's moduli (E) and elastic recovery (R) increased with V@sub B@ to maximum values of H = 27 GPa, E = 250 GPa, and R = 68 %. With an increase in the negative bias, the resistivity @rho@ went through a maximum of 2.2 @ohm@cm at potentials around the floating potential U, while @rho@ decreased with the increase of pressure or discharge current. Langmuir probe measurements of the local electron temperature, density, and plasma potential as a function of Ar pressure and target current were also made at the substrate location. The properties of the films have been correlated in terms of differences in the deposition and plasma parameters.