Characterization of amorphous carbon films grown by a vacuum arc discharge

M. FAZIO; E. HALAC; I BORSA SAN JUNA; F. ROSSO; A. MARQUEZ

Congreso; Plasma Based Ion Implantation and Deposition 2015; 2015

Amorphous carbon films with diamond-like bonds have been widely studied due to their interesting physical and chemical properties, such as high hardness, low static and dynamic friction coefficient, optical transparency, high thermal conductivity and biocompatibility. In this work non hydrogenated amorphous carbon (a:C) films grown by a dc vacuum arc discharge were studied. The arc was produced between a high purity graphite cathode of 8 cm diameter and the vacuum chamber that acted as the anode. The discharge produced a carbon plasma that condensed on a floating substrate. The arc current was run at 75 A, and a linear magnetic filter was used to avoid the presence of macroparticles on the coatings. The films were grown on M2 high speed steel, 316L stainless steel and silicon substrates. In order to improve the adhesion of the coatings to the steel substrates, a Ti interlayer grown by vacuum arc was introduced. The efficiencyof the magnetic filter was evaluated, and the effect of the Ti layer on theadhesion and structure of the coatings was studied. The structure of the filmswas analyzed by Raman spectroscopy and the morphology by scanning electronmicroscopy.