CHARACTERIZATION OF LASER-ARC DEPOSITED MULTILAYER SYSTEMS BY MEANS OF AES, FACTOR-ANALYSIS AND XPS

In a vacuum chamber at 5.10(-4) Pa, multilayer systems (single layer t hickness 20 nm) consisting of Ti/C and Al/C, respectively, have been d eposited on Si (111) disks by the laser assisted coating (Laser-Arc). Structure and composition have been investigated by means of Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS). and Auger Electron Spectroscopy (AES) in conjunction with Factor Analysis . AES depth profile measurements through the outermost part of the lay ers show for both the Ti/C and the Al/C samples a regular structure of the layer sequence metal/carbon with a constant distance along the sa mple normal and sharply formed interfaces. In the metallic layers an o xygen enrichment was found, which is more intensive in the Ti/C deposi t than in die Al/C one, By means of Fatter Analysis in the evaluation of the differentiated spectra as a function of sputtering time, the fo rmation of carbides at the metal/carbon interfaces has been detected. However, in the present state of the investigations it can not be deci ded. whether the observed carbide formation is the result of the energ y impact due to ion sputtering or the coating fabrication process itse lf.