Effect of deposition temperature on growth, structure and mechanical properties of diamond-like carbon films co-doped by titanium and silicon

Abstract

Titanium and silicon co-doped diamond-like carbon films are deposited on Si substrates by middle-frequency magnetron sputtering Ti80Si20 composite target. The influences of deposition temperature on the growth rate, chemical composition, structure, surface and mechanical properties of the film are investigated. The results show that the growth rate of the film decreases as substrate temperature increases. With the increasing of substrate temperature, Ti and Si atom content values in the film increase, while C atom content value decreases. At high temperatures, the film has low sp3C fraction, surface contact angle, compressive stress, and high hardness, and elastic modulus. The influences of deposition temperature on the growth and bonding structure of the film are analyzed in view of the subplantation growth model. The changes in surface and mechanical properties are correlated with the growth mechanism and microstructures of the film.