The use of refractive index as a measure of diamond-like carbon film quality

摘要: Abstract Diamond-like carbon (DLC) coatings can be divided into two main categories amorphous (a-C) and carbon/hydrogen (a-C:H). Within these the DLC films exhibit a wide range of mechanical physical properties. This study evaluates use refractive index as an in situ technique to determine quality deposited using 13.56 MHz 40 kHz plasmas (yielding a-C:H films) from saddle field atom source a-C films). Films with (at λ = 675 nm) between 1.6 2.3 were obtained for coatings, while had indices 1.7 2.6. A correlation was found coatings' their extinction coefficient, which independent conditions used deposit coatings. For both films, hardness laser ablation resistance increased index. similar properties whether at or source.