Characteristics of diamond-like carbon film deposited by filter arc deposition

A diamond-like carbon (DLC) film was successfully deposited on SKD 51 by filter arc deposition (FAD). An interlayer of CrN between the substrate and the DLC film was formed, enhancing the adhesion and the mechanical properties of the film assembly. The film structure exhibited high sp3 bonding under optimal conditions when the cathode current was varied. The process parameters were compared by studying various mechanical properties of the deposited films such as microhardness, adhesion and residual stress. The crystal structure was investigated by using X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Raman spectroscopy. The sp3 bond content dominates at a cathode current of 50 A and is inversely proportional to the cathode current, explaining why damage by the high beam current is associated with more graphitic character. The main contribution of this study is to help understand the relationship between the variation in the cathode current and the relationship between the interlayer (CrN) and DLC.