Molecular dynamics simulation of the impact behaviour of various hydrocarbon species on DLC

We have investigated the sticking and H-abstraction behaviour of various hydrocarbon species relevant for the growth of thin diamond-like carbon films (DLC) by means of molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, using the updated Brenner potential. These species include C-2, C2H, C-3, propynylidene (i.e. linear C3H), cyclopropynyl (i.e. Cyclic C3H) and cyclopropenylidene (i.e. Cyclic C3H2), With low kinetic energies typical for remote type plasma sources. We demonstrate and explain the different reactivities of these species at the surface (i.e. sticking efficiencies), as well as their ability to remove hydrogen from the surface (i.e. abstractions efficiencies). (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.