Temperature dependent properties of silicon containing diamondlike carbon films prepared by plasma source ion implantation

Silicon containing diamondlike carbon (Si-DLC) films were prepared on silicon wafer substrates by a plasma source ion implantation method with negative pulses superposed on a negative dc voltage. A mixture of acetylene and tetramethylsilane gas was introduced into the discharge chamber as working gases for plasma formation. Ions produced in the plasma are accelerated toward a substrate holder because of the negative voltage applied directly to it. After deposition, the films were annealed for 0.5 h in ambient air at temperatures up to 923 K in order to evaluate the thermal stability of the Si-DLC films. The films were analyzed by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), high resolution transmission electron microscopy, and Raman spectroscopy. The surface morphology of the films and the film thickness were observed by atomic force microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The mechanical and tribological properties were investigated by an indentation method and a ball-on-disk test. The results show the silicon containing DLC films were amorphous and the surface roughness of the Si containing DLC films was very smooth and no special structure was observed. Integrated intensity ratios I-D/I-G of Raman spectroscopy of the Si containing DLC films decreased with Si content. The Raman spectra showed that the structure of the Si-free DLC film changed to a graphitelike structure with increasing annealing temperature, whereas that of the 24 at. % Si containing DLC films did not change at the maximum temperature used in this study. A very low friction coefficient was obtained for the 13 at. % Si containing DLC film. The surface roughness and the hardness of the films changed with increasing annealing temperature. The formation of Si oxide in a near surface layer was confirmed by XPS and it prevents further oxidation of the inside of the film. Heat resistivity of DLC films can be improved by Si addition into the DLC films. (C) 2010 American Institute of Physics. [doi:10.1063/1.3394002]