Application of heat treatment and dispersive strengthening concept in interlayer deposition to enhance diamond film adherence

Abstract

Two different deposition processes were carried out to enhance adherence of diamond films on WC+3~5%Co substrate with Ti-Si as the interlayer. One process can be called two-step diamond deposition process. Another process can be called interlayer heat treatment process. Diamond films were deposited by a microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition system. Ti and Si interlayer are deposited by DC sputter and an E-gun, respectively. Film morphologies, interface structure and film quality were examined by SEM, XRD, Auger electron spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy. The residual stresses and adhesion strengths of the films were determined by Raman spectroscopy and indentation adhesion testing, respectively. Comparing the regular one-step diamond deposition process with the present two different new processes, the average dP/ dX values, which are a measure of the adherence of the film, are 354 kgf/mm, 494 kgf/mm and 787 kgf/mm, respectively. In other words, the interlayer heat treatment process gives the best film adherence on average. For the two-step diamond deposition process, the interlayer thickness and the percent diamond surface coverage of the first diamond deposition step are the main parameters, and there exists an optimum Ti thickness and percent diamond coverage for the best film adherence. The main contribution to better film adherence is not a large difference in residual stress, but is due to the following reasons. The interlayer heat treatment can transform amorphous Si to polycrystalline Si, and may form strong TiC and SiC bonding. The polycrystalline Si and the diamond particles from the first diamond deposition step can be an effective seeds to enhance diamond nucleation.