MODIFICATION OF THE ELECTRONIC-PROPERTIES OF ION-BEAM-DEPOSITED DIAMOND-LIKE CARBON ON POLYMERS

Ion-beam-deposited diamond-like carbon (DLC) is an attractive coating material because of its combination of low friction, high hardness and chemical inertness. In this process a 50 keV nitrogen bucket-type ion source is used both to modify the substrate surface and to crack a lo w vapour pressure oil which is evaporated and condensed onto the subst rate surface. The technique is of special interest owing to the low de position temperature; components never exceed a temperature of 80-degr ees-C during the coating process. Further, the ability to modify the s ubstrate surface in the same process is of particular importance for p olymers for electronic applications. DLC coatings have been applied to a range of polymers, with and without surface modification. The asses sment of the electrical properties of these coatings is reported, incl uding variations in resistivity with implant dose. These are correlate d with chemical and mechanical changes due to ion implantation.