Pulsed laser deposition of hard and superhard carbon thin films from C_(60) targets

摘要

In the present study, carbon films were deposited by a pulsed laser deposition method. A C_(60) fullerene target has been irradiated by a frequency doubled Nd:YAG laser with a pulse duration of 7 ns. The carbon films grown on Si(lll) substrates at different substrate deposition temperatures (30, 300 and 500 deg C) were characterized by Raman, X-ray Photoelectron and X-ray Auger Electron Spectroscopies, Energy Dispersive X-Ray Diffraction, Scanning Electron and Atomic Force Microscopies, and Vickers microhardness technique. The composition, structure, morphology and mechanical properties of films were found to be strongly dependent on the substrate temperature. At 30 deg C and 300 deg C deposition temperature, superhard and hard diamond-like films have been obtained, respectively. In the case of 500 deg C deposition, a hard film, composed of crystalline C_(60) and diamond-like carbon, has been prepared.