Formation of Diamond-Like Carbon Film on Organic Substrate by High Power Impulse Magnetron Sputtering
At a Glance
Section titled āAt a Glanceā| Metadata | Details |
|---|---|
| Publication Date | 2022-01-01 |
| Journal | Journal of The Surface Finishing Society of Japan |
| Authors | Takayuki Ohta, Rikuto OGUSHI, Akinori Oda, Hiroyuki Kousaka |
| Institutions | Meijo University, Chiba Institute of Technology |
| Citations | 1 |
| Analysis | Full AI Review Included |
Technical Documentation & Analysis: HiPIMS DLC on Organic Substrates
Section titled āTechnical Documentation & Analysis: HiPIMS DLC on Organic SubstratesāSource Paper: Formation of Diamond-Like Carbon Film on Organic Substrate by High Power Impulse Magnetron Sputtering (HiPIMS)
Prepared by: 6CCVD Technical Sales Engineering Team Focus: MPCVD Diamond Solutions for Advanced Coating and Material Science
Executive Summary
Section titled āExecutive SummaryāThis research successfully demonstrates the formation of hard Diamond-Like Carbon (DLC) films on heat-sensitive organic substrates using High Power Impulse Magnetron Sputtering (HiPIMS) without requiring substrate bias voltage. This achievement is critical for expanding the application of high-performance carbon coatings in flexible electronics and tribology.
- Core Achievement: Successful deposition of DLC films (~200 nm thick) onto Polyamide 6 (PA6), Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), and Polyacetal (POM) substrates.
- High spĀ³ Content: HiPIMS enabled high spĀ³ bonding fractions, reaching 20.9% on PA6 and 20.4% on PTFE, confirming the formation of hard DLC films.
- Bias-Free Deposition: High film quality was achieved without applying a substrate bias, mitigating thermal damage and charge accumulation on insulating organic materials.
- Mechanism Confirmation: Energy-resolved mass spectrometry confirmed the production of high-energy carbon ions (Cāŗ) with a tail extending beyond 40 eV, driving the high spĀ³ content formation.
- HiPIMS Efficiency: The Cāŗ ion flux produced by HiPIMS was measured to be approximately 100 times greater than that produced by conventional Direct Current Magnetron Sputtering (DCMS).
- Material Dependence: DLC film quality (spĀ³ content) was strongly influenced by the substrate material, correlating with the substrateās melting point and thermal stability.
Technical Specifications
Section titled āTechnical Specificationsā| Parameter | Value | Unit | Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| DLC Film Thickness | ~200 | nm | Deposited on all substrates |
| HiPIMS Pulse Width | 8 | Āµs | Target voltage pulse duration |
| HiPIMS Frequency | 400 | Hz | Pulse repetition rate |
| Process Pressure | 0.5 | Pa | Argon gas environment |
| Peak Target Current | 75 | A | Instantaneous current during pulse |
| Peak Power Density | 1.7 | kW/cm2 | Instantaneous power density |
| Cāŗ Ion Energy Peak | ~5 | eV | Measured via mass spectrometry |
| Cāŗ Ion Energy Tail | > 40 | eV | High-energy component contributing to spĀ³ bonding |
| spĀ³ Content (PA6) | 20.9 | % | Highest measured spĀ³ fraction (XPS) |
| spĀ³ Content (PTFE) | 20.4 | % | High spĀ³ fraction (XPS) |
| spĀ³ Content (POM) | 13.7 | % | Lowest spĀ³ fraction (XPS) |
| G-Peak Position (PA6) | 1537 | cm-1 | Raman spectroscopy |
| G-Peak FWHM (PA6) | 191 | cm-1 | Raman spectroscopy |
| Ion Flux Ratio (HiPIMS/DCMS) | ~100 | times greater | Cāŗ flux comparison |
Key Methodologies
Section titled āKey MethodologiesāThe experiment utilized a custom HiPIMS setup to deposit DLC films onto three types of organic substrates (POM, PTFE, PA6).
- Substrate Preparation: 15 mm x 15 mm organic substrates were mounted on a grounded, water-cooled holder, 84 mm from the carbon target.
- Vacuum and Gas Flow: Chamber was evacuated to 1.0 x 10-3 Pa. Argon (Ar) gas was introduced at 4 sccm, maintaining a process pressure of 0.5 Pa.
- HiPIMS Parameters: A 2-inch carbon target was powered with an 8 Āµs pulse width and 400 Hz frequency for 5 hours. The instantaneous power density reached 1.7 kW/cm2.
- Structural Analysis:
- Raman Spectroscopy (514.5 nm Ar ion laser): Used to determine the ratio of D-band (spĀ²) to G-band (spĀ²) peak areas (ID/IG) and G-peak characteristics (position, FWHM).
- X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS, MgKĪ± 1253.6 eV): Used to quantify the C1s binding energy components (spĀ² C=C, spĀ³ C-C, C-O) and calculate the final spĀ³ content percentage.
- Plasma Diagnostics:
- Energy-Resolved Mass Spectrometry (EQP300): Used to measure the Ion Energy Distribution Functions (IEDFs) of Cāŗ and Arāŗ ions incident on the substrate plane. Measurements were time-integrated over the pulse cycle (on and off times).
6CCVD Solutions & Capabilities
Section titled ā6CCVD Solutions & CapabilitiesāThis research highlights the critical need for materials with high spĀ³ bonding content to achieve superior mechanical and tribological performance. While DLC offers an amorphous carbon solution, 6CCVD specializes in the ultimate spĀ³ material: MPCVD Diamond. We provide materials and engineering support necessary to replicate, extend, or benchmark this research using Single Crystal Diamond (SCD) and Polycrystalline Diamond (PCD).
Applicable Materials for Advanced Carbon Research
Section titled āApplicable Materials for Advanced Carbon Researchā| Research Requirement | 6CCVD Material Solution | Technical Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| Ultimate Hardness/Wear Resistance | Optical Grade SCD Wafers | SCD is 100% spĀ³ bonded, offering Vickers hardness > 100 GPa, far exceeding the 20.9% spĀ³ content achieved by the DLC film. Ideal for benchmark tribological studies. |
| Large-Area Tribological Coatings | Mechanical Grade PCD Plates | Available in custom dimensions up to 125 mm diameter. PCD offers high hardness and excellent thermal management for large-scale components like heat sinks or industrial wear parts. |
| Electrochemical/Sensing Applications | Heavy Boron-Doped PCD (BDD) | If the DLC films were intended for conductive applications, BDD provides a stable, highly conductive, and chemically inert diamond electrode surface, superior to carbon films. |
| Precision Thin Films | SCD/PCD Thin Films | We offer films from 0.1 Āµm up to 500 Āµm thickness, allowing researchers to precisely match or exceed the 200 nm thickness used in this study with pure diamond. |
Customization Potential for HiPIMS Integration
Section titled āCustomization Potential for HiPIMS Integrationā6CCVD provides comprehensive customization capabilities essential for advanced deposition and device integration projects:
- Custom Dimensions: While the paper used 15 mm x 15 mm samples, 6CCVD can supply SCD substrates up to 15 mm x 15 mm and PCD plates up to 125 mm in diameter, suitable for scaling up research or integrating into larger systems.
- Precision Polishing: To ensure minimal friction and high optical quality, 6CCVD provides ultra-low roughness polishing: Ra < 1 nm for SCD and Ra < 5 nm for inch-size PCD.
- Metalization Services: For researchers integrating diamond materials into electronic or thermal management devices, 6CCVD offers in-house metalization capabilities, including deposition of Au, Pt, Pd, Ti, W, and Cu contact layers. This is crucial for creating robust electrical contacts or bonding layers.
- Global Logistics: We offer reliable global shipping (DDU default, DDP available) to ensure your custom diamond materials arrive safely and promptly, regardless of location.
Engineering Support
Section titled āEngineering Supportā6CCVDās in-house PhD team specializes in the physics and chemistry of MPCVD diamond growth and surface engineering. We can assist researchers in selecting the optimal SCD or PCD grade, doping level (for BDD), and surface finish required for similar High-Performance Tribological Coating projects or next-generation electronic devices.
For custom specifications or material consultation, visit 6ccvd.com or contact our engineering team directly.
View Original Abstract
Diamond-like carbonļ¼DLCļ¼film was deposited on organic substrates using highpower impulse magnetron sputteringļ¼HiPIMSļ¼without substrate bias voltage. The DLC film properties were evaluated using Raman spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Results show that the sp3 contents of the DLC films on PTFE or PA6 substrates were greater than those on POM substrate. The ion energy distribution functionsļ¼IEDFsļ¼of carbon ion and argon ion were measured using energy-resolved mass spectrometry to evaluate high-energy ion production. From HiPIMS, high-energy carbon ion with more than 30 eV was detected, whereas argon ions were distributed in the low-energy region. Comparison of the IEDFs of carbon and argon ions in HiPIMS to those obtained using direct current magnetron sputtering confirmed that higher-energy carbon ions, which contribute to increased sp3 bonding, were produced with higher intensity in HiPIMS.