Diamond-Like Carbon Films Formed by Pulsed Supersonic Plasma Flow Deposition

A new technique for the formation of diamond-like carbon thin films with high growth rate on silicon wafers and glass surfaces was investigated. A pulsed plasma source based on disk magnetohydrodynamic accelerator was used; methane was a precursor. Scanning electron and atomic-force microscopy, X-ray photoemission spectroscopy techniques and Raman spectroscopy were used for film characterization. We varied the deposition conditions (pulse time, distance to the source, silicon substrate temperature) to optimize diamond-like carbon film properties. Nitrogen treatment allows us to make nitrogen-doped diamond-like carbon films. We used the oxydgen plasmachemical etching of diamond-like carbon films. Thick nanoporous diamond-like carbon films were formed.