Control of sp2-C cluster incorporation of amorphous carbon films grown by H-radical-injection CH4/H2 plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition

Abstract

Amorphous carbon (a-C) thin films were deposited under the control of C2 radical density using radical-injection plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (RI-PECVD) with CH4/H2 plasma. By actinometric monitoring of C2 emission intensities, the plasma parameters were precisely controlled by changing in CH4-containing plasma excitation power independent of H2 plasma excitation. The control of the incorporation of sp2-C clusters in the a-C films during the a-C film depositions is demonstrated by tailoring Raman positions vs. full widths at half maxima for the G band around 1580 cm-1 to the RI-PECVD parameters.