Structures, Wettability, and Corrosion Resistance of Annealed Platinum/Ruthenium/Nitrogen Co-Doped Diamond-like Carbon Nano-Composite Thin Film at Different Temperatures

At a Glance

Metadata	Details
Publication Date	2025-01-01
Journal	Journal of Materials and Engineering
Authors
Analysis	Full AI Review Included

Technical Documentation & Analysis: High-Performance Diamond Coatings

Reference Paper: Structures, Wettability, and Corrosion Resistance of Annealed Platinum/Ruthenium/Nitrogen Co-Doped Diamond-like Carbon Nano-Composite Thin Film at Different Temperatures

Executive Summary

This documentation analyzes the structural, wettability, and corrosion performance of Platinum/Ruthenium/Nitrogen co-doped Diamond-Like Carbon (Pt/Ru/N-DLCNC-TF) films subjected to Rapid Thermal Annealing (RTA).

Application Focus: The research targets high-performance protective coatings for micro-molds, demanding low adhesion, high hardness, and superior corrosion resistance.
Methodology: Pt/Ru/N-DLCNC-TF films were deposited on Si (100) substrates via DC magnetron sputtering and annealed between 100 °C and 400 °C.
Optimal Performance: The film annealed at 200 °C exhibited the highest corrosion resistance, achieving a Polarization Resistance (R_p) 15.2 times greater than the as-deposited film in 0.5 M HCl solution.
Thermal Degradation: Annealing above 200 °C (up to 400 °C) promoted graphitization (increased sp² fraction) and surface segregation of PtRu aggregates.
Surface Roughness Correlation: Increased RTA temperature led to a 21.4% increase in arithmetic average roughness (Ra) at 400 °C, which correlated with decreased structural integrity and subsequent corrosion degradation.
6CCVD Value Proposition: While this study uses DLC, 6CCVD offers superior, intrinsically inert MPCVD Single Crystal Diamond (SCD) and Polycrystalline Diamond (PCD) materials, providing unmatched chemical stability and hardness for extreme micro-mold applications.

Technical Specifications

Extracted data points detailing the film properties and optimal annealing results.

Parameter	Value	Unit	Context
Substrate Material	p-type Si (100)	N/A	Deposition Substrate
Deposition Method	DC Magnetron Sputtering	N/A	Co-sputtering technique
Graphite Target Power	52	W/in²	Carbon source power density
Pt₅₀Ru₅₀ Target Power	2.5	W/in²	Metal source power density
Substrate Bias	-30	V	Applied during film deposition
Annealing Temperature Range	100 - 400	°C	Rapid Thermal Annealing (RTA)
Optimal Corrosion RTAT	200	°C	Temperature yielding highest R_p
Polarization Resistance (R_p) Increase	15.2	times higher	200 °C sample vs. as-deposited
R_p Value (200 °C)	74	kΩ	Measured in 0.5 M HCl solution
Surface Roughness (Ra, As-deposited)	1.4	nm	Measured via AFM
Surface Roughness (Ra, 400 °C)	1.7	nm	21.4% increase due to graphitization
Water Contact Angle (As-deposited)	78	°	Wettability measurement
Water Contact Angle (400 °C)	82.7	°	6% increase due to increased Ra
N Content Decrease (RT to 400 °C)	31.8	% lower	Surface N content decreased from 6.6 at.% to 4.5 at.%

Key Methodologies

A summary of the experimental process used to synthesize and characterize the Pt/Ru/N-DLCNC-TF films.

Substrate Preparation: p-type Silicon (100) wafers were used as the base material.
Film Deposition: Performed using a DC Magnetron Sputtering system via co-sputtering of a Graphite target and a Pt₅₀Ru₅₀ target.
Gas Environment: Argon (Ar) was used as the working gas (50 sccm) and Nitrogen (N₂) as the reactive gas (1 sccm).
Deposition Conditions: Film deposition was carried out for 120 minutes at a pressure of 3 x 10^-3 Torr, with the substrate rotated at 22 rpm.
Post-Treatment: Rapid Thermal Annealing (RTA) was conducted in a nitrogen environment (2000 sccm N₂ flow) for 2 minutes.
Thermal Parameters: Temperature ramping rate was 25 °C/s, and the cooling rate was 6 °C/s.
Structural Analysis: X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) and Micro-Raman Spectroscopy (He-Ne laser, 632.8 nm) were used to analyze chemical composition and sp²/sp³ bonding ratios.
Surface Analysis: Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) was used to measure surface topography and roughness (Ra), and an FTA200 system measured water contact angles.
Corrosion Testing: Potentiodynamic polarization curves were measured in a 0.5 M Hydrochloric (HCl) solution using a standard three-electrode flat cell kit.

6CCVD Solutions & Capabilities

This research highlights the need for materials with extreme hardness, low friction, and superior chemical inertness for micro-mold and harsh environment applications. While the paper focuses on Diamond-Like Carbon (DLC), 6CCVD specializes in MPCVD diamond, which offers intrinsic properties far exceeding those of amorphous DLC films, particularly in stability and corrosion resistance.

Applicable Materials for Replication and Extension

Research Requirement	6CCVD Material Recommendation	Technical Rationale & Advantage
Extreme Hardness & Wear Resistance	Single Crystal Diamond (SCD)	SCD offers the highest intrinsic hardness and thermal conductivity, ensuring maximum service life and stability, unlike DLC which graphitizes at moderate temperatures (e.g., 400 °C in this study).
High Corrosion Resistance in Acids	Polycrystalline Diamond (PCD)	PCD provides excellent chemical inertness and is available in large, inch-size wafers (up to 125 mm), ideal for scaling up micro-mold production.
Electrochemical Stability & Conductivity	Boron-Doped Diamond (BDD)	BDD is the gold standard for electrochemistry, offering unparalleled stability in aggressive electrolytes (like the 0.5 M HCl used here), eliminating the need for complex metal doping (Pt/Ru) to achieve electrochemical performance.

Customization Potential for Advanced Research

6CCVD’s in-house capabilities directly address and surpass the material requirements outlined in this study, enabling researchers to move beyond unstable DLC coatings to true diamond solutions.

Precision Polishing: The paper noted an as-deposited roughness (Ra) of 1.4 nm. 6CCVD guarantees Ra < 1 nm for SCD and Ra < 5 nm for inch-size PCD. This ultra-smooth surface minimizes adhesion and friction, critical for micro-mold release properties.
Custom Dimensions and Substrates: We offer PCD wafers up to 125 mm in diameter and SCD/PCD thicknesses up to 500 µm. We can accommodate custom growth on various substrates, including the Si (100) used in this research, or provide robust diamond substrates up to 10 mm thick.
Advanced Metalization Services: The paper utilized Pt/Ru doping. 6CCVD provides internal metalization capabilities, including Au, Pt, Pd, Ti, W, and Cu, allowing for precise contact engineering or creation of custom electrochemical interfaces directly on the diamond surface.
Engineering Support: 6CCVD’s in-house PhD team specializes in material selection and optimization for high-stress applications, including micro-molds, high-power electronics, and harsh environment sensors. We can assist in designing the optimal SCD or BDD structure to maximize corrosion resistance and minimize residual stress, a key factor in DLC film failure.

For custom specifications or material consultation, visit 6ccvd.com or contact our engineering team directly.

Tech Support

Original Source

DOI: https://doi.org/10.61552/jme.2025.02.008