Electronic and optical properties of superhard nanocomposite films obtained from C60 ion beam

Abstract

The study of electronic and transport properties of amorphous and nanocomposite superhard carbon films deposited from the mass-separated beam of accelerated C60 ions with an energy of 5 keV onto a substrate with temperatures (Ts) ranging from 373 K to 773 K is present. The films demonstrate a transition from the amorphous state with sp2 2D clusters to nanocomposite one with 3D graphite nanocrystals at Ts ∼ 573 K. That is accompanied by the registration of two phases with optical gaps of 3.6 eV and <1 eV. The narrow optical gap (<1 eV) is shown to attribute to the graphite nanocrystals, and a wide one (3.6 eV) to the amorphous diamond-like matrix. Measurement of the electrical conductivity of films at low temperatures showed a gradual transition at Ts increasing from hopping conductivity with variable length of jump in amorphous films to the tunnel one with power-law dependence from temperature for the nanocomposite and further to the percolation conductivity at direct contact of graphite nanocrystals. The role of intergranular insulator at tunneling conductivity of nanocomposite is played by amorphous carbon matrix which has an electronic structure close to amorphous diamond.