Determination of the sp(3)/sp(2) ratio of a-C : H by XPS and XAES

X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and X-ray excited Auger electron spectrosc opy were used to determine some of the properties of diamond like amorphous carbon films deposited using saddle field glow discharge of methane. By ap plying the chemical shift technique and curve fitting technique to the Cls peak in the X-ray photoelectron spectrum of the film, we were able to deter mine the sp(3)/sp(2) bonding ratio of the films. The ratio from this method was in agreement (+/-1%) with that calculated from the X-ray excited Auger electron spectrum of the same film. The method was also applied to a-C:N f ilms doped with different impurities (boron and phosphorus) in amounts vary ing from 1% to 20%. We found that the sp(3)/sp(2) ratio of the film was dep endent on the deposition parameters and on types of impurities and their co ncentrations. (C) 1999 Published by Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserv ed.