Triode technology in the sputter deposition of carbon films

Abstract

A d.c. triode sputtering gun has been used to produce thin carbon films by sputtering from a graphite target in argon at two different powers. The films were produced on glass, aluminum foil, and single crystal sodium chloride substrates. The films were studied by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Auger electron spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and transmission electron diffraction. The structures of the carbon films could be identified as either Ries Crater carbon or alphacarbine. Some of the crystallites identified in this investigation as complex forms of carbon could be assigned to the diamond structure if the forbidden diamond reflections observed originate from a superstructure formed by ordered incorporation of argon. The films produced were, however, not particularly hard although scratch testing and hardness measurements did show that these very thin (85–500 Å) films did improve the scratch resistance of the float glass substrates by approximately a factor of three. There were no apparent differences between films produced at 300 W power and 500 W power in any of the structural or physical measurements made.