ON THE TEMPERATURE-DEPENDENCE OF THE DEPOSITION RATE OF AMORPHOUS, HYDROGENATED CARBON-FILMS

The temperature behavior of the deposition rate of amorphous, hydrogenated carbon films is analyzed both experimentally and theoretically. A reactor based on the supersonic expansion of an arc plasma is used. The film thickness is measured using in situ He-Ne ellipsometry. The surface temperature is measured with thermocouples. Comparison of the presented model with the experimental results suggests that the deposited atoms and radicals diffuse over the surface in a weakly bound, adsorbed layer before they are incorporated in the film. Direct incorporation upon chemisorption is improbable. © 1990, American Vacuum Society. All rights reserved.