Deposition of diamond-like carbon films on an iron substrate by a pulsed high-density plasma beam at room temperature

Abstract

Diamond-like carbon (DLC) films were produced on the surface of a pure iron substrate at room temperature using a pulsed high-density plasma beam from a coaxial plasma gun. DLC films have a wide mixing interlayer with substrates, which can improve their adhesion to the substrates. The plasma density ranged between 1014 and 1016 cm−3, the plasma electron temperature was 10–50 eV, the mean plasma speed 30–50 km s−1, and the pulse width about 60 μs. Hardness and thickness measurements, a scratch tester, Raman spectroscopy, Auger electron spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction were used to characterize the DLC films.