Electrochemical Deposition of DLC Films Embedded with Crystalline Graphite and Multilayer Graphene

Diamond-like carbon (DLC) films embedded with crystalline graphite and multilayer graphene have been fabricated on silicon substrates by a simple electrochemical route from methanol and C60-1, 2-ethylenediamine (C2H8N2) derivatives as an incorporating reagent at atmospheric pressure. The structure and sheet resistivity of the as-obtained films were characterized by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, and four-point probe measurements, respectively. The structure of the as-prepared films with crystalline graphite and multilayer graphene consisted of sp2 C, sp3 C, C–N, C–H, and N–H bonds. After introducing crystalline graphite and multilayer graphene, the conductivity of the DLC films was evidently improved and the sheet resistivity drastically decreased from 108 Ω cm to about 80 Ω cm.