Effect of microwave power on diamond-like carbon films deposited using electron cyclotron resonance chemical vapor deposition

Diamond-like carbon (DLC) films have been deposited using electron cyclotro n resonance chemical vapor deposition (ECR-CVD) under various microwave pow er conditions. Langmuir probe measurement and optical emission spectroscopy (OES) were used to characterize the ECR plasma, while the films were chara cterized using Raman and infrared (IR) spectroscopies, hardness and optical gap measurements. It was found that the ion density and all signal peaks i n the optical emission (OE) spectra increased monotonously following the in crease in microwave power. Raman spectra and optical gap measurements indic ate that the films become more graphitic with lower content of sp(3)-hybrid ized carbon atoms as the microwave power was increased. IR and hardness mea surements indicate a reduction in hydrogen content and decrease in hardness for the film produced at relatively high microwave powers. A deposition me chanism is described which involved the ion bombardment of film surfaces an d hydrogen-surface interactions. The deposition rate of DLC film is correla ted to the ion density and CII, density. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.