Amorphous fluorocarbon (a-C:F) thin films have been developed that protect surfaces from molecular and particulate contamination. The surface energies of the thin films are low and primarily dispersive in origin with values of energies measured to be as low as 18 mJ/m~2 (17.5 dispersive, 0.5 polar). The films are transparent to visible light and have a refractive index of ～1.4. The a-C:F surface energy was found to be thermally stable when exposed to temperatures that range from 77°K to 400°C. Molecular absorption rates are significantly reduced on gold surfaces when over-coated with an a-C:F thin film. The adhesion force of particles to the a-C:F surface is low and can dramatically decrease the susceptibility of particles to adhere to surfaces over-coated with the thin film. The robust nature of the diamond-like thin films make them candidates for protecting aerospace surfaces, such as optical surfaces, from contamination.
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