Deposition and hydrogen content of carbon films grown by CH+3 ion-beam bombardment

Abstract

Carbon deposition and hydrogen codeposition is investigated as a function of ion energy, fluence, and target temperature at normal incidence by bombardment of silicon and pyrolitic graphite substrates with mass selected CH+3 molecules. An amorphous hydrogenated carbon layer (a-C:H) is formed in a thickness range of 40–130 nm at a fluence of 3×1018/cm2. The deposition process, the re-erosion phenomenon, the hydrogen content, and the H/C ratios of the carbon films are studied between 300 and 1000 K in the ion energy range from 150 eV to 3 keV. The experimental results are compared with those of TRIDYN computer simulations and previous experimental results of carbon sputtering by atomic H+ and C+ beams in order to obtain a better understanding of the interaction between hydrocarbon ions and the carbon-based wall materials in fusion devices.