Survivability of Silicon-Doped Diamond-Like Carbon Films in Energetic Atomic/Molecular Oxygen Beam Environments

Abstract

Volatile products were measured from two types of diamond-like carbon films under the hyperthermal atomic oxygen (AO) beam bombardment. It was clearly observed that CO and CO2 were formed at the conventional hydrogenated DLC surface when exposed to hyperthermal AO beam. Desorption rates of CO and CO2 are constant with AO fluence which reflects the constant erosion rate of the hydrogenated DLC. In contrast, Si-doped DLC shows decrease in amount of CO and CO2 with increasing AO fluence. Oxidation of Si atoms at the DLC surface was detected by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, confirming the formation of SiO2 film formed at the DLC surface that could prevent AO reaction with C atoms in DLC which leads to loss of DLC. Since a self-healing capability can be expected on Si-doped DLC, metal doping is a promising technology for space application of DLC.