Aging of plasma-deposited carbon layers: effect of their thickness and material structure

Moreover, these films show different aging mechanisms in air. This paper will thus concentrate on the study of the aging mechanisms based on the comparison of films that underwent aging under different conditions. In the case of polymer-like films, aging mechanisms are attributed to oxidation. In contrast, for the films formed at the cathode, these phenomena are attributed to film oxidation and hydrolysis. As aging leads to modifications in electrical and optical properties, a method to avoid these causes is suggested.