Properties of composite a-C:H/metal layers deposited by combined RF PECVD/magnetron sputtering techniques

A sequential deposition method for synthesis of composite materials is presented. It consists of the periodical exposing the substrate to separated plasma assisted chemical vapor deposition and magnetron sputtering deposition sources. The plasma sources are operated independently. Using this deposition method, a-C:H/W composite layers were deposited on silicon substrates. The material morphology, structure and composition were investigated using specific techniques (AFM, SEM, EDX, SIMS and XRD). The material composition, as example the W concentration in the range of 10–50 at.%, can be tuned in a-C:H/W composites by proper setting the exposure time of the substrate to each of the plasma sources. The process limit that makes the difference between deposition of composites and multilayers is discussed.