From pulsed-DCMS and HiPIMS to microwave plasma-assisted sputtering: Their influence on the properties of diamond-like carbon films

Hain, Caroline; Brown, David; Welsh, Alexander; Wieczerzak, Krzystof; Weiss, Robert; Michler, Johann; Hessler-Wyser, Aicha; Nelis, Thomas (2022). From pulsed-DCMS and HiPIMS to microwave plasma-assisted sputtering: Their influence on the properties of diamond-like carbon films Surface and Coatings Technology, 432, p. 127928. Elsevier 10.1016/j.surfcoat.2021.127928

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The fabrication of high-hardness non-hydrogenated diamond-like carbon (DLC) via standard magnetron sputtering (MS) is often hindered by the low sputtering yields and ionisation rates of carbon, therefore investigations into pulsed alternatives of MS, else sputtered species post-ionisation methods, are of particular interest. This work focuses on investigating the influence of pulsed-direct current MS (pDCMS), high power impulse magnetron sputtering (HiPIMS) and their microwave plasma-assisted (MA-pDCMS, MA-HiPIMS) variants on the properties of the fabricated DLC films. Two setups were used for the pDCMS- and HiPIMS-based methods, respectively. The films were characterised using Raman spectroscopy, nanoindentation, X-ray reflectometry and scanning electron microscopy, where the pDCMS-produced films were additionally characterised by film-stress measurements. Moreover, in situ time-resolved Langmuir probe plasma analysis was performed under HiPIMS and MA-HiPIMS conditions to analyse the influence of the magnetron and microwave plasmas on one another. For both DCMS- and HiPIMS-based procedures, it was found that the addition of microwave plasma did not facilitate attaining hardnesses beyond 30 GPa, however, it did enable modifying the morphology of the films. Furthermore, this study shows the potential of synchronised sputtering with substrate biasing, as well as the importance of microwave plasma source positioning in relation to the substrate.

Item Type:	Journal Article (Original Article)
Division/Institute:	School of Engineering and Computer Science > Institute for Surface Applied Laser, Phototonics and Surface Technologies ALPS School of Engineering and Computer Science > Institute for Surface Applied Laser, Phototonics and Surface Technologies ALPS > ALPS / Plasma Surface Engineering School of Engineering and Computer Science
Name:	Hain, Caroline; Brown, David; Welsh, Alexander; Wieczerzak, Krzystof; Weiss, Robert; Michler, Johann; Hessler-Wyser, Aicha and Nelis, Thomas0000-0002-0061-8850
Subjects:	Q Science > QC Physics Q Science > QD Chemistry
ISSN:	0257-8972
Publisher:	Elsevier
Funders:	Organisations 0 not found.; Organisations 1852254 not found.; Organisations 754364 not found.
Language:	English
Submitter:	Thomas Nelis
Date Deposited:	24 Jan 2022 16:06
Last Modified:	25 Sep 2023 21:46
Publisher DOI:	10.1016/j.surfcoat.2021.127928
Uncontrolled Keywords:	diamond-like carbon; magnetron sputtering; microwave plasma; Raman spectroscopy; nanoindentation; Langmuir probe;
ARBOR DOI:	10.24451/arbor.16396
URI:	https://arbor.bfh.ch/id/eprint/16396