Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Optical and mechanical properties of dc sputtered carbon films

  • Diamond and Diamond-Like Materials
  • Published:
Journal of Materials Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Amorphous carbon films were deposited on glass by dc magnetron sputtering from a graphite target in mixtures of argon and hydrogen. Hydrogen flow and other deposition parameters affected the optical and mechanical properties of these films. Increasing hydrogen content caused the average visible transmittance to vary from 16% to 86% for 500-Å thick films. Maximum compressive stress and hardness occur between 0 and 1% hydrogen flow, resulting in rapid delamination. Low sputtering power moderately increases transmittance and hardness while relieving stress. Transparency is induced in both the high-hydrogen and low-power films by formation of sp3 C–C bonds. In the case of the hydrogenated films, however, a softer polymeric structure is formed.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. T. J. Moravec and J.C. Lee, J. Vac. Sci. Technol. 20, 338 (1982).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. A. Bubenzer, B. Dischler, G. Brandt, and P. Koidl, J. Appl. Phys. 54, 4590 (1983).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. M. J. Mirtich, D. Nir, D. Swec, and B. Banks, J. Vac. Sci. Technol. A 4, 2680 (1986).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. J. Zelez, RCA Rev. 43, 664 (1982).

    Google Scholar 

  5. H. Tsai and D. B. Bogy, J. Vac. Sci. Technol. A 5, 3287 (1987).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. B. Dischler, A. Bubenzer, and P. Koidl, Solid State Commun. 48, 105 (1983).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. P. Couderc and Y. Catherine, Thin Solid Films 146, 93 (1987).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. J.W. Zou, K. Reichelt, K. Schmidt, and B. Dischler, J. Appl. Phys. 65, 3914 (1989).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. J. Gonzalez-Hernandez, B. S. Chao, and D. A. Pawlik, J. Vac. Sci. Technol. A 7, 2332 (1989).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. B. Goranchev, K. Schmidt, and K. Reichelt, Thin Solid Films 149, 177 (1987).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. E. Staryga, A. Lipinski, S. Mitura, and Z. Has, Thin Solid Films 145, 17 (1986).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. D. R. McKenzie, R. C. McPhedran, L. C. Botten, N. Savvides, and R. P. Netterfield, Appl. Opt. 21, 3615 (1982).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. N. Savvides, Thin Solid Films 163, 13 (1988).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. D. B. Kerwin, I. L. Spain, R. S. Robinson, B. Daudin, M. Dubus, and J. Fontenille, Thin Solid Films 148, 311 (1987).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. M. J. Mirtich, D. M. Swec, and J. C. Angus, Thin Solid Films 131, 245 (1985).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. A. Grill, B.S. Meyerson, V.V. Patel, J. A. Reimer, and M.A. Petrich, J. Appl. Phys. 61, 2874 (1987).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. J. A. Woollam, V. Natarajan, J. Lamb, A. A. Khan, G. Bu-Abbud, D. Mathine, D. Rubin, R. O. Dillon, B. Banks, J. Pouch, D. A. Gulino, S. Domitz, D. C. Liu, and D. Ingram, Thin Solid Films 119, 121 (1984).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. F. M. El-Hossary, D. J. Fabian, and C. J. Sofield, Thin Solid Films 157, 29 (1988).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. N. Savvides, J. Appl. Phys. 59, 4133 (1986).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. F.W. Smith, J. Appl. Phys. 55, 764 (1984).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. K. Enke, Thin Solid Films 80, 227 (1981).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. C. Weissmantel, K. Bewilogua, K. Breuer, D. Dietrich, U. Ebersbach, H-J. Erler, B. Rau, and G. Reisse, Thin Solid Films 96, 31 (1982).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. W. Scharff, K. Hammer, O. Stenzel, J. Ullman, M. Vogel, T. Frauenheim, B. Eibisch, S. Roth, S. Schulze, and I. Muhling, Thin Solid Films 171, 157 (1989).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. J. Ishikawa, Y. Takeiri, K. Ogawa, and T. Takagi, J. Appl. Phys. 71, 2509 (1987).

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory, University of California, 94720, Berkeley, California, USA

    M. Rubin, C. B. Hopper & N. H. Cho

  2. IBM Research Division, IBM Almaden Research Center, 650 Harry Road, 95120-6099, San Jose, California, USA

    B. Bhushan

Authors
  1. M. Rubin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. C. B. Hopper
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. N. H. Cho
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. B. Bhushan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Rubin, M., Hopper, C.B., Cho, N.H. et al. Optical and mechanical properties of dc sputtered carbon films. Journal of Materials Research 5, 2538–2542 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1557/JMR.1990.2538

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1557/JMR.1990.2538

Search

Navigation