Electronic structure of chromium-containing amorphous hydrogenated carbon thin films studied by X-ray absorption spectroscopy

► We obtained electronic structure of a-C:H/Cr thin films from C K-, Cr L3.2-, and K-edge XANES. ► Thin a-C:H/Cr thin films were prepared using dc magnetron sputter deposition. ► It was found that the C 2pCr 3d hybridization gradually increases as the Cr nanoparticle size decreases. ► The amount of C-H bonding and the change in crystalline structure are the main factors affecting the optical absorptance.