Study of the influence of palladium nanoparticles on the structure of DLC films synthesized on silicon (100) substrates

Abstract

This work reports about the study of the structure of films of amorphous diamond-like carbon modified with palladium nanoparticles and synthesized on silicon (100) substrates (a-C <Pdx>). Results of Raman studies indicate the change in the ratio of sp2/sp3 sites depending on the Pd concentration in the carbon films. It was found that palladium nanoparticles affect the formation of carbon bonds and increase the number of sp2 sites, and at concentrations of more than 1 at.%, the film structure becomes graphite-like. In addition, atomic force microscopy methods revealed the effect of palladium on the surface morphology of a-C <Pdx> films and non-uniform distribution of electron density. The size of the particles which form the structure of the a-C <Pdx> films was estimated by using the “threshold method of grains analysis” program.