Growth and characteristics of metal-containing diamond-like carbon using a self-assembled process

A recently developed self-assembled method, involving the use of a single metal target and a fixed substrate in a sputter deposition chamber, was used for the growth of various metal-containing diamond-like carbon thin films. The metals used include, Cu, Pt, and Ni. The resulting films consist of self-assembled alternating dark and bright layers, both of which constitute a period. The dark layer was found to always have a higher metal concentration than the bright layer in a period. Effects of the growth condition on the growth rate, periodicity, and film structure were examined. The relation between the growth condition and the film characteristics is discussed.