Fabrication and Characterization of Multilayer Amorphous Carbon Films for Microcantilever Devices

Various multilayer amorphous carbon films were prepared by a double bend filtered cathodic vacuum arc system in conjunction with a substrate voltage pulse bias generator. The internal structure of the multilayer films consisted of equal layers of high content (80%) films interspaced periodically (and uniformly) between layers of moderate content (60%) films. The modulation of the multilayer films was systematically varied so as to achieve films of different internal composition for comparative studies. The set of films were further annealed for thermal stability measurements. Properties measured included reduced modulus and stress. Free-standing microcantilevers have also been subsequently fabricated using the various different types of multilayer film using standard lithography and wet etching. The resonance frequencies of the microcantilevers were then measured by a vacuum laser vibrometer setup.