Correlation of sp3 and sp2 fraction of carbon with electrical, optical and nano-mechanical properties of argon-diluted diamond-like carbon films

In the present work the correlation of electrical, optical and nano-mechanical properties of argon-diluted diamond-like carbon (Ar-DLC) thin films with sp3 and sp2 fractions of carbon have been explored. These Ar-DLC thin films have been deposited, under varying C2H2 gas pressures from 25 to 75 mTorr, by radio frequency-plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition technique. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy studies are performed to estimate the sp3 and sp2 fractions of carbon by deconvoluting C 1s core level spectra. Various electrical, optical and nano-mechanical parameters such as conductivity, I–V characteristics, optical band gap, stress, hardness, elastic modulus, plastic resistance parameter, elastic recovery and plastic deformation energy have been estimated and then correlated with calculated sp3 and sp2 fractions of carbon and sp3/sp2 ratios. Observed tremendous electrical, optical and nano-mechanical properties in Ar-DLC films deposited under high base pressure conditions made it a cost effective material for not only hard and protective coating applications but also for electronic and optoelectronic applications.