Abstract
The implantation of argon in tetrahedral amorphous carbon (ta-C), deposited by the filtered cathodic vacuum arc technique and concurrently bombarded with argon ions (Ar+), is investigated in this study. The ta-C films were prepared with a 5-ms DC-pulsed arc, a current of 190 A, and a frequency of 3 Hz, and they were deposited on a ground substrate holder. The argon atoms were implanted into the film by simultaneously bombarding the films with a beam of Ar+ in the 0-180 eV energy range. The concentration of argon, determined by Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy, was investigated as a function of the Ar+ energy. Raman scattering spectroscopy was used to investigate the structure of the films. The stress of the films depends on the Ar+ energy and reduces significantly as a function of the annealing temperature. A study of argon effusion, ranging from room temperature up to 1000 °C, shows that the argon atoms evolve from the films at different temperatures depending on the Ar+ energy. Scanning electron microscopy revealed the formation of bubbles after argon effusion. It was observed that the structural transformations that promote the relaxation of the carbon matrix and the argon effusion are different from each other.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
I.I. Aksenov, S.I. Vakula, V.G. Padalka, V.E. Strelnitskii, and V.M. Khoroshikh, A Highly Effective Source of Pure Carbon Plasmas, Zh. Tekh. Fiz., 1980, 50, p 2000–2004
P.J. Fallon, V.S. Veerasamy, C.A. Davis, J. Robertson, G.A.J. Amaratunga, W.I. Milne, and J. Koskinen, Properties of Filtered-Ion-Beam-Deposited Diamondlike Carbon as a Function of Ion Energy, Phys. Rev. B, 1993, 48, p 4777–4782
D.R. McKenzie, D. Muller, and B.A. Pailthorpe, Compressive-Stress-Induced Formation of Thin-Film Tetrahedral Amorphous Carbon, Phys. Rev. Lett., 1991, 67(6), p 773–776
R. Lossy, D.L. Pappas, R.A. Roy, J.J. Cuomo, and V.M. Sura, Filtered Arc Deposition of Amorphous Diamond, Appl. Phys. Lett., 1992, 61(2), p 171–173
A. Anders, S. Anders, I.G. Brown, M.R. Dickinson, and R.A. MacGill, Metal Plasma Immersion Ion Implantation and Deposition Using Vacuum Arc Plasma Sources, J. Vac. Sci. Technol. B, 1994, 12(2), p 815–820
J. Robertson, Diamond-Like Amorphous Carbon, Mater. Sci. Eng. R Rep., 2002, 37, p 129–281
H.-L. Leo, S.R. Chapman, and R.M. Crone, Slider/Disk Interaction During the Landing Process, J. Tribol., 1995, 117(1), p 119–123
F.J. Clough, W.I. Milne, B. Kleinsorge, J. Robertson, G.A.J. Amaratunga, and B.N. Roy, Tetrahedrally Bonded Amorphous Carbon (ta-C) Thin Films Transistor, Electron. Lett., 1996, 32, p 498–499
R.K. Roy and K.-R. Lee, Biomedical Applications of Diamond-Like Carbon Coatings: A Review, J. Biomed. Mater. Res. Part B, 2007, 83, p 72–84
L. Guoqiang, B. Xiao, D. Chuang, and W. Lishi, Substrate Temperature Calculation for Pulsed Bias Arc Ion Plating, Surf. Coat. Technol., 2005, 194, p 325–329
D. Sheeja, B.K. Tay, L.J. Yu, S.P. Lau, J.Y. Sze, and C.K. Cheong, Effect of Frequency and Pulse Width on the Properties of ta:C Films Prepared by FCVA Together with Substrate Pulse Biasing, Thin Solid Films, 2002, 420–421, p 62–69
Md.A. Rahman, P. Maguire, S.S. Roy, R. McCann, F. McKavanagh, and J.A. McLaughlin, Sp3 Content in ta-C Films vs Pulse Bias Width to the Substrate: A Correlative Structural Analysis, Diam. Relat. Mater., 2009, 18, p 1343–1347
D. Sheeja, B.K. Tay, J.Y. Sze, L.J. Yu, and S.P. Lau, A Comparative Study Between Pure and Al-Containing Amorphous Carbon Films Prepared by FCVA Technique Together with High Substrate Pulse Biasing, Diam. Relat. Mater., 2003, 12, p 2032–2036
D.F. Franceschini, C.A. Achete, and F.L. Freire, Internal Stress Reduction by Nitrogen Incorporation in Hard Amorphous Carbon Thin Films, Appl. Phys. Lett., 1992, 60(26), p 3229–3231
D.H. Lee, S. Fayeulle, K.C. Walter, and M. Nastasi, Internal Stress Reduction in Diamond Like Carbon Thin Films by Ion Irradiation, Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phys. Res. Sect. B, 1999, 148, p 216–220
R.G. Lacerda, P. Hammer, C.M. Lepienski, F. Alvarez, and F.C. Marques, Hard Graphitic-Like Amorphous Carbon Films with High Stress and Local Microscopic Density, J. Vac. Sci. Technol. A, 2001, 19, p 971–975
R.G. Lacerda, M.C. dos Santos, L.R. Tessler, P. Hammer, F. Alvarez, and F.C. Marques, Pressure-Induced Physical Changes of Noble Gases Implanted in Highly Stressed Amorphous Carbon Films, Phys. Rev. B, 2003, 68, p 054104(1–7)
T.-Y. Kim, C.S. Lee, Y.J. Lee, K.H. Chae, and K.H. Oh, Reduction of the Residual Compressive Stress of Tetrahedral Amorphous Carbon Film by Ar Background Gas During the Filtered Vacuum Arc Process, J. Appl. Phys., 2007, 101, p 023504(1–5)
L.K. Cheah, X. Shi, B.K. Tay, and E. Liu, Modification of Tetrahedral Amorphous Carbon Film by Concurrent Ar Ion Bombardment During Deposition, Surf. Coat. Technol., 1998, 105, p 91–96
E. Byon and A. Anders, Ion Energy Distribution Functions of Vacuum Arc Plasmas, J. Appl. Phys., 2003, 93(4), p 1899–1906
D. Liu, G. Benstetter, E. Lodermeier, and J. Vancea, Influence of the Incident Angle of Energetic Carbon Ions on the Properties of Tetrahedral Amorphous Carbon(ta-C) Films, J. Vac. Sci. Technol. A, 2003, 21(5), p 1665–1670
F.X. Liu, K.L. Yao, and Z.-L. Liu, Substrate Tilting Effect on Structure of Tetrahedral Amorphous Carbon Films by Raman Spectroscopy, Surf. Coat. Technol., 2007, 201, p 7235–7240
M.M. de Lima, Jr., R.G. Lacerda, J. Vilcarromero, and F.C. Marques, Coefficient of Thermal Expansion and Elastic Modulus of Thin Films, J. Appl. Phys., 1999, 86, p 4936–4942
P.F. Barbieri, R. Landers, M.H. de Oliveira, F. Alvarez, and F.C. Marques, Electronic Structure of Xenon Implanted with Low Energy in Amorphous Silicon, J. Electron Spectrosc. Relat. Phenom., 2007, 156–158, p 409–412
C.A. Davis, A Simple Model for the Formation of Compressive Stress in Thin Films by Ion Bombardment, Thin Solid Films, 1993, 226, p 30–34
J. Robertson, Deposition Mechanisms for Promoting sp3 Bonding in Diamond-Like Carbon, Diam. Relat. Mater., 1993, 2, p 984–989
A.C. Ferrari and J. Robertson, Interpretation of Raman Spectra of Disordered and Amorphous Carbon, Phys. Rev. B, 2000, 61(20), p 14095–14107
G. Adamopoulos, K.W.R. Gilkes, J. Robertson, N.M.J. Conway, B.Y. Kleinsorge, A. Buckley, and D.N. Batchelder, Ultraviolet Raman Characterization of Diamond-Like Carbon Films, Diam. Relat. Mater., 1999, 8, p 541–544
B. Kleinsorge, S.E. Rodil, G. Adamopoulos, J. Robertson, D. Grambole, and W. Fukarek, Hydrogen and Disorder in Diamond-Like Carbon, Diam. Relat. Mater., 2001, 10, p 965–969
M. Chhowalla, A.C. Ferrari, J. Robertson, and G.A.J. Amaratunga, Evolution of sp2 Bonding with Deposition Temperature in Tetrahedral Amorphous Carbon Studied by Raman Spectroscopy, Appl. Phys. Lett., 2000, 76(11), p 1419–1421
A.C. Ferrari, S.E. Rodil, and J. Robertson, Interpretation of Infrared and Raman Spectra of Amorphous Carbon Nitrides, Phys. Rev. B, 2003, 67, p 155306(1–20)
C. Casiraghi, A.C. Ferrari, J. Robertson, R. Ohr, M.V. Gradowski, and D. Schneider, Ultra-Thin Carbon Layer for High Density Magnetic Storage Devices, Diam. Relat. Mater., 2004, 13, p 1480–1485
M.A. Pimenta, G. Dresselhaus, M.S. Dresselhaus, L.G. Cançado, A. Jorio, and R. Saito, Studying Disorder in Graphite-Based Systems by Raman Spectroscopy, Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2007, 9, p 1276–1291
L.G. Cançado, A. Jorio, and M.A. Pimenta, Measuring the absolute Raman Cross Section of Nanographites as a Function of Laser Energy and Crystallite Size, Phys. Rev. B, 2007, 76, p 064304(1–7)
S. Reich and C. Thomsen, Raman Spectroscopy of Graphite, Philos. Trans. R. Soc. A, 2004, 362, p 2271–2288
C. Castiglioni, F. Negri, M. Rigolio, and G. Zerbi, Raman Activation in Disordered Graphites of the A’1 Symmetry Forbidden k ≠ 0 Phonon: The Origin of the D Line, J. Chem. Phys., 2001, 115, p 3769–3778
G.A. Zickler, B. Smarsly, N. Gierlinger, H. Peterlik, and O. Paris, A Reconsideration of the Relationship Between the Crystallite Size La of Carbons Determined by X-Ray Diffraction and Raman Spectroscopy, Carbon, 2006, 44, p 3239–3246
A.C. Ferrari and J. Robertson, Raman Spectroscopy of Amorphous, Nanostructured, Diamond-Like Carbon and Nanodiamond, Philos. Trans. R. Soc. A, 2004, 362, p 2477–2512
K.W.R. Gilkes, S. Prawer, K.W. Nugent, J. Robertson, H.S. Sands, Y. Lifshitz, and X. Shi, Direct Quantitative Detection of the sp3 Bonding in Diamond-Like Carbon Films Using Ultraviolet and Visible Raman Spectroscopy, J. Appl. Phys., 2000, 87, p 7283–7289
F.C. Tai, S.C. Lee, J. Chen, C. Wei, and S.H. Chang, Multipeak Fitting Analysis of Raman Spectra on DLCH Film, J. Raman Spectrosc., 2009, 40, p 1055–1059
A.C. Ferrari and J. Robertson, Resonant Raman Spectroscopy of Disordered, Amorphous, and Diamondlike Carbon, Phys. Rev. B, 2001, 64, p 075414(1–13)
A.C. Ferrari, Determination of Bonding in Diamond-Like Carbon by Raman Spectroscopy, Diam. Relat. Mater., 2002, 11, p 1053–1061
M.A. Tamor, J.A. Haire, C.H. Wu, and K.C. Hass, Correlation of the Optical Gaps and Raman Spectra of Hydrogenated Amorphous Carbon Films, Appl. Phys. Lett., 1989, 54(2), p 123–125
M.V. Gradowski, A.C. Ferrari, R. Ohr, B. Jacoby, H. Hilgers, H.-H. Schneider, and H. Adrian, Resonant Raman Characterization of Ultra-Thin Nano-Protective Carbon Layers for Magnetic Storage Devices, Surf. Coat. Technol., 2003, 174, p 246–252
M.C. Polo, J.L. Andujar, A. Hart, J. Robertson, and W.I. Milne, Preparation of Tetrahedral Amorphous Carbon Films by Filtered Cathodic Vacuum Arc Deposition, Diam. Relat. Mater., 2000, 9, p 663–667
C. Casiraghi, F. Piazza, A.C. Ferrari, D. Grambole, and J. Robertson, Bonding in Hydrogenated Diamond-Like Carbon by Raman Spectroscopy, Diam. Relat. Mater., 2005, 14, p 1098–1102
N. Akita, Y. Konishi, S. Ogura, M. Imamura, Y.H. Hu, and X. Shi, Comparison of Deposition Methods for Ultra Thin DLC Overcoat Film for MR Head, Diam. Relat. Mater., 2001, 10, p 1017–1023
J. Robertson and E.P. O’Reilly, Electronic and Atomic Structure of Amorphous Carbon, Phys. Rev. B, 1987, 35, p 2946–2957
F. Tuinstra and J.L. Koenig, Raman Spectrum of Graphite, J. Chem. Phys., 1970, 53, p 1126–1130
J.D. Hunn, S.P. Withrow, C.W. White, and D.M. Hembree, Jr., Raman Scattering from MeV-Ion Implanted Diamond, Phys. Rev. B, 1995, 52, p 8106–8111
K.W.R. Gilkes, H.S. Sands, D.N. Batchelder, J. Robertson, and W.I. Milne, Direct Observation of sp3 Bonding in Tetrahedral Amorphous Carbon Using Ultraviolet Raman Spectroscopy, Appl. Phys. Lett., 1997, 70(15), p 1980–1982
M. Chhowalla, J. Robertson, C.W. Chen, S.R.P. Silva, C.A. Davis, G.A.J. Amaratunga, and W.I. Milne, Influence of Ion Energy and Substrate Temperature on the Optical and Electronic Properties of Tetrahedral Amorphous Carbon (ta-C) Films, J. Appl. Phys., 1997, 81, p 139–145
J.P. Sullivan, T.A. Friedmann, and A.G. Baca, Stress Relaxation and Thermal Evolution of Film Properties in Amorphous Carbon, J. Electron. Mater., 1997, 26, p 1021–1029
A.C. Ferrari, B. Kleinsorge, N.A. Morrison, A. Hart, V. Stolojan, and J. Robertson, Stress Reduction and Bond Stability During Thermal Annealing of Tetrahedral Amorphous Carbon, J. Appl. Phys., 1999, 85, p 7191–7197
Z. Jiaqi, H. Jiecai, M. Songhe, L. Jia, J. Chunzhu, L. Shuping, Z. Yuebing, and T. Bengkang, Temperature Sensibility of Amorphous Diamond Films Prepared by Filtered Arc, Diam. Relat. Mater., 2007, 16, p 558–561
B.K. Tay, X. Shi, E.J. Liu, H.S. Tan, and L.K. Cheah, Effects of Substrate Temperature on the Properties of Tetrahedral Amorphous Carbon Films, Thin Solid Films, 1999, 346, p 155–161
A.C. Ferrari, S.E. Rodil, J. Robertson, and W.I. Milne, Is Stress Necessary to Stabilise sp3 Bonding in Diamond-Like Carbon?, Diam. Relat. Mater., 2002, 11, p 994–999
Acknowledgments
The authors are indebted to M. H. de Oliveira Jr. for his contribution on the development of the FCVA system and several characterizations. The authors also thank Prof. M. C. B. S. Salvadori, M. M. de Lima Jr., A. Cross, and A. Cantarero for their contribution to many aspects of this study. This study was financed by FAPESP, CAPES, CNPq, and INES. The authors also thank the LAMFI/USP and LME/LNNano for the measurement of RBS and technical support during electron microscopy work, respectively.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Marques, F.C., Viana, G.A., Motta, E.F. et al. Argon Implantation in Tetrahedral Amorphous Carbon Deposited by Filtered Cathodic Vacuum Arc. J. of Materi Eng and Perform 22, 1396–1404 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11665-012-0401-2
Received:
Revised:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11665-012-0401-2