Effect of TiN/C Microstructure Composite Layer on the Adhesion of FDLC Film onto Silicon Substrate

Deposition techniques of direct current and radio-frequency magnetron sputtering were used to separately prepare TiN/C microstructural composite layer and fluorinated diamond-like carbon (FDLC) film on monocrystalline silicon. The aim was to investigate the effects of microstructural composite layers on the adhesion property of FDLC film. The results indicated that the TiN/C microstructural composite layer can distinguish from the substrate and the FDLC film. After adding the composite layers, the film–substrate binding force significantly increased. When the composite film were prepared at a partial pressure of 0.25, the binding force reached 30.5 N, which was greater than the value of 22.6 N for the sample without composite layers. TiN/C in the composite layers intensified the integration with silicon substrate because the C–C bond acted as a bridge linking the FDLC film to the silicon substrate. Furthermore, the bulges on the surface of the composite layers strengthened the physical bonding of the film with silicon substrates.