INSIGHT ON THE MICROSCOPIC STRUCTURE OF A-C AND A-C-H THIN-FILMS THROUGH ELECTRON-SPIN-RESONANCE ANALYSIS

In this paper it is shown that electron spin resonance can be used as a tool for structural investigation of amorphous carbon thin films. In teresting information on the amorphous lattice is obtained from the an alysis of the features of the ESR signal. Some representative examples will be discussed. For instance, it will be shown that different degr ees of structural disorder exist in the various films, that regions ha ving different local structure exist in sputtered amorphous carbon, an d that in soft polymeric a-C:H the unpaired spins have a very weak int eraction with the lattice. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science S.A.