Features of the Structure and Properties of the ta-C Coatings Deposited from Filtered Flows of the Pulsed Cathodic-Arc Discharge

Yang Gao; K.A. Sakhovsky; Shangzhe  Jiang; S.Y. Chepkasov; Xiaohong  Jiang; A.S. Rudenkov; Urol K. Makhmanov; D.G. Piliptsou; A.V. Rogachev; A.V. Rogachev

doi:10.18321/ectj1657

Authors

Yang Gao International Chinese-Belorussian Scientific Laboratory on Vacuum Plasma Technology, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, 200 Xiaolingwei str., Nanjing, 210094, China
K.A. Sakhovsky Francisk Skorina Gomel State University, 104 Sovetskaya str., Gomel, 246019, Belarus
Shangzhe Jiang International Chinese-Belorussian Scientific Laboratory on Vacuum Plasma Technology, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, 200 Xiaolingwei str., Nanjing, 210094, China; British School of Nanjing, 16 Hanfu str., Nanjing, 211116, China
S.Y. Chepkasov Physical Department, 4 Novosibirsk State University, Pirogova str., 630090, Novosibirsk, Russia
Xiaohong Jiang International Chinese-Belorussian Scientific Laboratory on Vacuum Plasma Technology, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, 200 Xiaolingwei str., Nanjing, 210094, China
A.S. Rudenkov International Chinese-Belorussian Scientific Laboratory on Vacuum Plasma Technology, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, 200 Xiaolingwei str., Nanjing, 210094, China; Francisk Skorina Gomel State University, 104 Sovetskaya str., Gomel, 246019, Belarus
Urol K. Makhmanov Institute of Ion-Plasma and Laser Technologies, Uzbekistan Academy of Sciences, Tashkent 100125, Uzbekistan
D.G. Piliptsou International Chinese-Belorussian Scientific Laboratory on Vacuum Plasma Technology, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, 200 Xiaolingwei str., Nanjing, 210094, China; Francisk Skorina Gomel State University, 104 Sovetskaya str., Gomel, 246019, Belarus
A.V. Rogachev 1International Chinese-Belorussian Scientific Laboratory on Vacuum Plasma Technology, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, 200 Xiaolingwei str., Nanjing, 210094, China; Francisk Skorina Gomel State University, 104 Sovetskaya str., Gomel, 246019, Belarus
A.V. Rogachev International Chinese-Belorussian Scientific Laboratory on Vacuum Plasma Technology, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, 200 Xiaolingwei str., Nanjing, 210094, China; Francisk Skorina Gomel State University, 104 Sovetskaya str., Gomel, 246019, Belarus

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18321/ectj1657

Keywords:

Carbon coating, Morphology, Phase, Roughness, Nanohardness, Clusters

Abstract

The amorphous carbon (ta-C) coatings have been deposited on the polished silicon (111) substrates using the pulsed cathodic-arc evaporation of the graphite target. A comparative analysis of the structure and properties of the ta-C coatings deposited via the pulsed cathodic-arc evaporation with different pulse voltages has been carried out. According to the Raman analyses, optimal energy modes and arc voltage for generating pulsed flows of carbon plasma have been determined. Using the electromagnetic filter enables the effective separation of the ionic and droplet components of the coating while ensuring the complete removal of the macroparticles from the plasma flow. The surface of the coatings deposited under different separation modes, as well as different discharge voltages, has been studied via scanning electron and atomic force microscopies. This leads to a twofold decrease in the surface roughness compared to the flow without filtration. In addition, an increase in the hardness and elasticity modulus of the coatings has been detected. The optical parameters of the coatings depend directly on the phase composition of the coatings, which is controlled by the sp²/sp³ ratio, and on the parameters of the microstructure (size, number and ordering of sp² clusters). The application of filters enables the deposition of coatings composed of amorphous carbon that exhibit high mechanical and optical properties. These coatings are notably thinner when compared to those deposited from flows without filtration. This study determines the structure, mechanical, and optical properties of a-C coatings deposited with and without filtration of pulsed plasma carbon flow, maintaining a constant discharge duration.

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