Temperature sensibility of amorphous diamond films prepared by filtered arc

The low temperature sensibility and the thermal stability in air of amorphous diamond (a-D) films deposited by filtered arc have been investigated with visible Raman spectroscopy. The films cooled in a range of room temperature to − 190 °C by a liquid nitrogen pump were in-situ measured on a Linkam stage. The films for thermal stability were heated in a furnace. It has been found that the films are thermally very stable in air. They can hold their hardness up to 400 °C and their structure up to 500 °C. However, complete material loss occurs if the temperature is continuously raised. Raman measurements show a shift of the G-peak frequency to higher values with increasing temperature. The films are not sensitive to low temperature and remain stable as temperature is decreased down to − 190 °C.