Author: Wei LuPublisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 486
Book Description
Sputtering Deposition and Characterization of Ultrathin Amorphous Carbon Films
Author: Wei LuSynthesis and Characterization of Amorphous Carbon Films for Magnetic Storage Technology
Author: Jun XiePublisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 119
Book Description
Increasing demands for high magnetic storage capacity have led to the increase of the recording area density, mainly by reducing the distance between the magnetic media on the hard disk and the magnetic transducer of the head. A factor that has greatly contributed to the profound decrease of the magnetic spacing is excessive thinning of the protective amorphous carbon (a-C) overcoat. However, the remarkable decrease in overcoat thickness raises a concern about its quality and protective capability. In general, a-C films with higher sp3 carbon atom hybridization demonstrate higher density and better tribomechanical and corrosion properties. The sp2 and sp3 contents strongly depend on the film-growth conditions and deposition method. One of the most common film deposition methods is radio-frequency (RF) sputtering. This method uses low-energy neutral carbon atoms or clusters of atoms as film precursors and has been the workhorse of storage technology for more than four decades. Typically, Ar+ ion bombardment of the growing film during film growth is used to tailor the overcoat structure and properties without affecting its chemical environment. The substrate bias voltage is a key deposition parameter because it directly affects the ion bombardment energy. In this dissertation, the effect of the substrate bias voltage on the growth and properties of ultrathin a-C films was examined and the identified film structure-property interdependencies were explained in the context of an analytical model, which takes into account the effects of irradiation damage and thermal spikes. Substrate biasing during film deposition may lead to some undesirable effects, such as the development of a high compressive residual stress, which can cause premature overcoat failure by delamination. Experimental studies of this dissertation show that alternating between biasing and non-biasing deposition conditions, multi-layer a-C films consisting of ultrathin hard (bias on) and soft (bias off) layers characterized by high sp3 fraction and greatly reduced compressive residual stress can be synthesized by RF sputtering. An additional advantage is that these multi-layer a-C films exhibit lower surface roughness and improved tribological properties. Different from deposition methods using neutral carbon atoms as film-forming precursors, such as RF sputtering and other physical vapor deposition methods, filtered cathodic vacuum arc (FCVA) uses energetic C+ ions as film precursors, which is advantageous for depositing ultrathin and very smooth a-C films with superior nanomechanical/tribological properties. The role of important FCVA process parameters, such as substrate bias voltage, which controls the C+ ion energy, in the film growth process were investigated, while considering various means of reducing the a-C film thickness without jeopardizing its structure and properties. The effect of the duty cycle of substrate pulse biasing (i.e., the ratio of the time of substrate biasing over a pulse to the pulse bias period) was examined in terms of film deposition rate, surface topography, and nanostructure. Cross-sectional high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) combined with the scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) and electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) studies revealed variations in through-thickness hybridization and density with duty cycle. a-C films with the highest sp3 content and smallest thickness were synthesized under FCVA deposition conditions of 75% and 65% duty cycle, respectively. EELS studies show that a-C films generally possess a multi-layered structure consisting of surface and interface layers of relatively low sp3 contents and intermediate bulk layer of much higher sp3 content, a result of the deposition mechanisms encountered during ion bombardment. When the a-C film thickness is reduced to only 2-3 nm, the effects of the ultrathin (1-2 nm) surface and interface layers become increasingly more pronounced, resulting in the decrease of the overall sp3 content and, in turn, depletion of the film's protective capability. To reduce the thickness of the interface layer, a thin (
Sputter Deposition Synthesis and Characterization of Thin Films
Author: Dujiang WanSynthesis, Characterization, and Molecular Dynamics Analysis of Ultrathin Amorphous Carbon Films
Author: Na WangPublisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 133
Book Description
Increasing demands for high magnetic storage capacity have led to the increase of the recording area density by more than 100,000 times over the past 30 years. Among all the approaches considered to increase the area density, reducing the magnetic spacing is an effective solution that directly impacts the thickness and quality of the carbon overcoat. One of the methods of carbon overcoat deposition is chemical vapor deposition, which uses carbon-containing precursor gases as the source of carbon radicals and atoms to form the carbon overcoat. The produced carbon film is characterized by high hydrogen content (20%-50%), depending on the carbon-to-hydrogen ratio of the precursor gas and process parameters. Because of the hydrogen content, CVD-deposited hydrogenated amorphous carbon (a-C:H) deposited by CVD exhibit density of 1.7-2.2 g/cm3, which is much lower than the density (~3 g/cm3) of hydrogen-free amorphous carbon (a-C) films deposited by filtered cathodic vacuum arc (FCVA). The superior nanomechanical/tribological properties of FCVA-deposited a-C films have been widely-reported; however, most studies have examined relatively thick (tens of nanometers) a-C films, while current demands require much thinner films of thickness in the range of 1-4 nm. FCVA-deposited a-C films overcoats are desirable protective overcoats for HDDs provided they can maintain their demonstrated high quality even for thickness as low as 1 nm. In this dissertation, an in-depth study of the structure of FCVA-deposited a-C films deposited on silicon was carried out using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and analytical electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS). Both low- and high (core)-loss EELS spectra of Si and C were analyzed to determine the elemental content and through-thickness structure of ~20-nm-thick a-C films. Calculations of atomic carbon hybridization based on EELS spectra were used to track the film structure evolution. The average content of carbon hybridization in the top few nanometers of the a-C film, determined from EELS analysis, was found to be ~50%, much less than 73% of the bulk film. This multilayer structure was also validated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Results indicate that the minimum thickness of a-C films deposited by the FCVA method under conditions of optimum substrate bias ( -100 V) should be equal to 3-3.5 nm, which is the total thickness of the buffer and surface layers. The effects of other important FCVA process parameters on film growth were also investigated to explore the prospect of further decreasing the a-C film thickness. The incidence angle effect of energetic C+ ions bombarding onto the growing film surface was studied in terms of the deposition rate, topography, and film structure. Cross-section TEM measurements combined with Monte Carlo (T-DYN) simulations revealed that the deposition yield (rate) is independent of the ion fluence but varies with the incidence angle according to a relationship derived from sputtering theory. XPS and atomic force microscopy (AFM) studies were also performed to examine carbon hybridization and film topography. The optimum incidence angle for FCVA deposition was found equal to 45o. A relatively new technology that shows potential for further breakthroughs in magnetic recording is heat-assisted magnetic recording (HAMR). This technology utilizes a tightly focused laser beam to heat and temporarily reduce the coercivity of magnetic nanodomains below that of the magnetic field applied by the magnetic head. Impulsive laser heating (typically
Properties and Characterization of Amorphous Carbon Films
Author: J.J. PouchPublisher: Trans Tech Publications Ltd
ISBN: 3035704503
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 714
Book Description
Amorphous, hydrogenated carbon (AHC) films can be deposited on various substrates using several techniques, e.g. plasma deposition and ion beam deposition. The resulting films can be hard, wear resistant and transparent.
Deposition, Characterization and Tribological/magnetic Studies of Diamond-like Carbon and Magnetic Thin Films
Author: Geng WangProperties of Amorphous Carbon
Author: S. R. P. SilvaPublisher: IET
ISBN: 9780852969618
Category : Amorphous substances
Languages : en
Pages : 396
Book Description
World experts in amorphous carbon have been drawn together to produce this comprehensive commentary on the current state and future prospects of amorphous carbon, a highly functional material. Amorphous carbon has a wide range of properties that are primarily controlled by the different bond hybridisations possible in such materials. This allows for the growth of an extensive range of thin films that can be tailored for specific applications. Films can range from those with high transparency and which are hard and diamond-like, through to those which are opaque, soft and graphitic-like. Application areas including field emission cathodes, MEMs, electronic devices, medical and optical coatings are now close to market.
Deposition, Characterization and Tribological Studies on Carbon Overcoats for Magnetic Storage Disks
Author: Tse-An YehTetrahedrally Bonded Amorphous Carbon Films I
Author: Bernd SchultrichPublisher: Springer
ISBN: 3662559277
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 769
Book Description
This book presents the status quo of the structure, preparation, properties and applications of tetrahedrally bonded amorphous carbon (ta-C) films and compares them with related film systems. Tetrahedrally bonded amorphous carbon films (ta-C) combine some of the outstanding properties of diamond with the versatility of amorphous materials. The book compares experimental results with the predictions of theoretical analyses, condensing them to practicable rules. It is strictly application oriented, emphasizing the exceptional potential of ta-C for tribological coatings of tools and components.
The Optical Characterization of Hydrogenated Amorphous Carbon Thin Films Deposited by a DC-PECVD Method
Author: Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition
Languages : en
Pages :
Book Description