Effect of increasing hardness on Si-containing diamond-like carbon film during tribo-test

In this study, silicon-DLC film has been especially treated by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) process at 500 °C in the same chamber without compound-layer for enhancement of hardness and adhesion. The effects of different levels of silicon content on the silicon-containing DLC films were tested in air condition at room temperature with relative humidity using a ball-on-disk tribometer. After the wear test, Raman spectrum analysis on the tested surface of silicon DLC showed the changed structure on the surface. Especially, it has shown the increasing hardness value in proportional to increase TMS gas rate after wear test. At the same time, it was shown that ID/IG values increased higher G-peak values and positions on wear track of silicon-containing DLC surfaces. Therefore, the structure of the coated DLC surface changed between the wear-tested surface and the original surface. High silicon content DLC showed increased IG value with suddenly increased ID/IG value after the wear test.