Amorphous diamond (a-D) films have been formed by magnetic field filte
red carbon ion deposition. The optical and electrical characteristics
of these films as a function of the substrate bias voltage V-h have be
en studied using optical absorption spectroscopy and electrical measur
ements. The results show that a-D films with high sp(3) fractions were
formed when the substrate bias voltage V-b was in the range -10 V to
-50 V. The optical band gap of such a-D films was found to be larger t
han 3 eV. It is shown that optical absorption spectroscopy is a simple
method to compare qualitatively the sp(3) fractions in carbon films.
The mechanisms of transport in these films are also studied and discus
sed. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science S.A.