PHOTOPHYSICAL AND PHOTOCHEMICAL INVESTIGATIONS OF FULLERENE PRESENCE IN AMORPHOUS HYDROGENATED CARBON-FILMS

The plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition system was used to grow amorphous hydrogenated carbon films deposited on silicon substrates. E xtracts of the films were obtained by treatment with boiling cyclohexa ne solvent. The absorption spectra of these extracts showed the existe nce of small quantities of fullerenes. Using the molar extinction coef ficient of C-60 in cyclohexane, the mass of fullerenes in the films wa s estimated to be about 0.019 mg. C-60 induced fluorescence quenching of anthracene was also observed. Additional evidence for the presence of fullerenes was based on their capability to accelerate the photo-ox idation of anthracene through the generation of singlet oxygen with a high quantum yield under ultraviolet irradiation. (C) 1997 American In stitute of Physics.