Effects of SiN_x interlayer on characterisation of amorphous diamond-like carbon films

Abstract

The magnetron sputtering amorphous diamond-like carbon film is successfully deposited by SiN_x interlayer approach. The scanning electron microscopy study reveals the creation of high uniform surface micrograph diamond-like carbon films with SiN_x interlayer. For comparison, diamond-like carbon films with different interlayers are also grown. The Raman spectra are analyzed in order to characterize the stressed induce peak shifts of the films. The interactions of C atom with Si(100) and SiN_x surface are studied by density functional theory simulation. The effects of interlayers on the films deposition and the considering deposition mechanism are discussed. It is suggested that the diamond-like carbon and SiN_x bilayer structure can help to render applications in protective coatings and high quality silicon on diamond related radiation tolerance devices.

Keywords:

• Diamond like carbon films
• Scanning electron microscopy
• Raman spectra
• SiN_x interlayer
• Magnetron sputtering

Acknowledgements

This project was supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) (grant no. 11304254), Doctoral Research Foundation of SWUST (grant no. 12zx7114), Key Subject Laboratory Foundation of National Defense for Radioactive Waste, General Research Fund Scheme of the Research Grants Council of Hong Kong (715612, 17206714) and Environmental Security of SWUST (grant no. 13zxnk11). We thank Professor G. F. Ji (Institute of Fluid Physics, Chinese Academy of Engineering Physics) for providing the CASTEP code.