Raman spectra of ion beam sputtered amorphous carbon thin films deposited from camphoric carbon

Thin films of carbon were deposited on single crystal silicon and quartz su bstrates by simple ion beam sputtering of camphoric cal bon target, obtaine d from camphor: a natural source, at room temperature. The as-deposited fil ms were heat treated at different temperatures and the effects of heat trea tment on structural modifications were studied in detail by Raman spectrosc opy through the evolution of D and G bands. The spectral evolution observed on heat treated samples show progressive formation of crystallites. These structural changes were further correlated with optical gap and fraction of sp(3) bonded carbons present, derived respectively from uv-visible and pho toelectron spectroscopies, and the results obtained are discussed and compa red with the literature. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd, All rights reserved .