DEPOSITION OF CARBON-FILMS BY A FILTERED CATHODIC ARC

A novel filtered cathodic arc system with a source in steady-state operation and a coil producing a toroidal magnetic field for plasma beam deflection and macroparticle separation is described. The transmittance of the filter and consequently the deposition rate could be defined by adjusting the current through the magnetic coil and by biasing the coil. Operating with a graphite cathode, a maximum deposition rate of 100 nm min-1 was found for a magnetic field of 56 mT and a bias voltage of 16 V. Carbon films were prepared on Si(111) and cemented carbide substrates using an r.f. substrate bias. The films exhibit a substantial reduction in the number of incorporated macroparticles and a dense, amorphous diamond-like structure. The hardness LVH(0.5 N) of films 2 mum thick was determined to be 57 GPa.