Vilma Buršíková, Pavel Dvořák, Lenka Zajíčková, Daniel Franta, Jan Janča, Jiří Buršík, Jaroslav Sobota, Petr Klapetek, Olga Bláhová, Vratislav Peřina

Deposition and characterisation of nanostructured silicon-oxide containing diamond-like carbon coatings

Optoelectronics and Advanced Materials - Rapid Communications 1 (2007) 491–495

Nanostructured diamond-like carbon coatings with various silicon-oxide content were deposited on different substrate materials (silicon, glass, polycarbonate and steel) in capacitively coupled r.f. discharge (13.56 MHz). The structure of the prepared films was studied with infrared absorption spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Complete atomic compositions, including hydrogen content and film densities, were determined by combination of RBS and ERD analyses. The complex dielectric function of the films was determined from ellipsometric measurements in the range 1.5–5.2 eV. Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionisation - Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-TOF) was used to study the deposited films. The mechanical properties of prepared coatings (e.g. hardness, elastic modulus, fracture toughness, coating/substrate adhesion etc.) were studied by means of depth sensing indentation technique using Fischerscope H100 tester. The tribological properties were studied using CSM pin-on-disc tester. The effect of intrinsic stress on the coating properties was investigated. The variation in SiO_x content enabled to minimize the intrinsic compressive stress in coatings. Analysis of the evolved crack morphology by means of optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) revealed a significant increase in interfacial fracture toughness for the DLC:SiO_x films compared to the pure DLC films. On the basis of above described investigation nanocomposite multilayer coatings with enhanced mechanical properties (high hardness, adhesion, fracture toughness, low intrinsic stress) were designed.

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You can also contact one of the authors: vilmab@physics.muni.cz, lenkaz@physics.muni.cz, franta@physics.muni.cz

Cited Articles

1. Franta D., Ohlídal I., Buršíková V., Zajíčková L.,
   Optical properties of diamond-like carbon films containing SiO_x studied by the combined method of spectroscopic ellipsometry and spectroscopic reflectometry,
   Thin Solid Films 455–456 (2004) 393–398
2. Franta D., Ohlídal I., Buršíková V., Zajíčková L.,
   Optical properties of diamond-like carbon films containing SiO_x,
   Diamond and Related Materials 12 (2003) 1532–1538
3. Zajíčková L., Buršíková V., Peřina V., Macková A., Janča J.,
   Correlation Between SiOx Content and Properties of DLC : SiOx Films Prepared by PECVD,
   Surface and Coatings Technology 174 (2003) 281–285
4. Buršíková V., Navrátil V., Zajíčková L., Janča J.,
   Temperature Dependence of Mechanical Properties of DLC/Si Protective Coatings Prepared by PECVD,
   Materials Science and Engineering A 324 (2002) 251–254