Effects of frequency of pulsed substrate bias on structure and properties of silicon-doped diamond-like carbon films by plasma deposition

Abstract

We have investigated the effects of the frequency of pulsed substrate bias on the structure and properties of Si-doped diamond-like carbon (Si-DLC) films deposited by radio-frequency plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition using CH4, Ar, and monomethylsilane (CH3SiH3) as the Si source. The Si/(Si+C) ratios in the Si-DLC films deposited using pulsed bias were higher than that of the dc-biased Si-DLC film, and the Si fraction increased with decreasing frequency. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analyses revealed that Si–C, Si–Hn, and C–Hn bonds in the Si-DLC films increased with decreasing frequency. The internal stress decreased as the frequency decreased, which is probably due to the increase in Si–C, Si–Hn, and C–Hn bonds in the films. It was found that the wear rate of the pulse-biased Si-DLC film deposited at the highest frequency in this study is comparable to that of the dc-biased, undoped DLC film. Furthermore, the friction coefficient of the former is about one third of that of the latter.