OPTICAL AND MECHANICAL-PROPERTIES OF PLASMA-BEAM-DEPOSITED AMORPHOUS HYDROGENATED CARBON

Amorphous hydrogenated carbon films have been deposited on crystalline silicon and on glass from an expanding thermal plasma. Two deposition parameters have been varied: the electric current through the plasma source and the admired acetylene flow. No energetic ion bombardment ha s been applied during deposition. Ex situ analysis of the films yields the infrared refractive index, hardness, Young's modulus, optical ban d gap, bonded hydrogen content, and the total hydrogen and mass densit y. The infrared refractive index describes the film properties indepen dent of which plasma deposition parameter (are current or acetylene fl ow) has been varied. The hardness, Young's modulus, sp(2)/sp(3) ratio, and mass density increase with increasing refractive index. The optic al band gap and hydrogen content of the films decrease with increasing refractive index. It is demonstrated that plasma-beam-deposited diamo ndlike a-C:H has similar properties as material deposited with convent ional plasma-enhanced chemical-vapor-depositions techniques under ener getic ion bombardment. (C) 1996 American Institute of Physics.