Experimental study of mechanical properties and scratch resistance of ultra-thin diamond-like-carbon (DLC) coatings deposited on glass

Abstract To improve the mechanical and tribological properties of glass, an ultra-thin diamond-like-carbon (DLC) coating of 2.2 nm thick was deposited on the surface of glass, using the linear ion beam deposition technique. The coated glass showed significant improvement in scratch resistance against severe damage, such as cracking, delamination, and chipping. To understand the mechanism, an experimental study was carried out. It was found that the major contribution to the significantly improved scratch resistance attributable to the compressive stress, which was yielded during the deposition process and resides in the coating, as well as the top layer of glass substrate.