COMBINED MAGNETRON SPUTTERING AND PULSED-LASER DEPOSITION OF CARBIDESAND DIAMOND-LIKE CARBON-FILMS

A hybrid technique is reported, which combines magnetron sputtering an d pulsed laser ablation to produce plasma fluxes intersected on a subs trate surface to form metal, ceramic and diamond-like materials. Depos ition of crystalline Ti, TixCy, TiCN, and amorphous diamond-like carbo n films at low temperatures by the new technique is discussed. The var iation of laser pulse frequency is found to be a simple way to control film chemical composition. The technique can be used to prepare mater ials with transitional structure, as, for example, between metal carbi des and diamond-like carbon.