MECHANICAL AND ADHESION PROPERTIES OF AMORPHIC DIAMOND FILMS

Films of amorphic diamond can be deposited with a laser plasma source of carbon ions in an ultrahigh vacuum environment without involving hydrogen in- the growth mechanism. This technique produces films that adhere more readily to materials for which there are important applications such as protective coatings. In this study mechanical properties of amorphic diamond films were examined. The hardness and Young's modulus were obtained using a nanoindentation technique. Analyses of these films on silicon and ZnS by Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS) show significant interfacial layers. The adhesion properties were also studied under harsh environmental conditions.