Diamond-Like Carbon Prepared by High Density Plasma

The paper will present for the first time physical and tribological properties of diamond-like carbon (DLC) films deposited by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition using a high density plasma (HDP). The films have been prepared from acetylene or acetylene + hydrogen mixtures using a range of HDP conditions. The composition and optical properties of the DLC films have been characterized by forward recoil elastic scattering (FRES) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The tribological properties have been measured in ambient air and in dry nitrogen using a pin-on-flat tribometer. While the friction coefficients in air (<0.14) were mostly independent on the deposition conditions, the friction in dry nitrogen was affected by the deposition conditions, reaching values as low as 0.01. The wear rates of the HDP DLC films were extremely low. The paper will discuss the friction properties of these films in relation to the deposition conditions and their physical properties.