Study on effect of hydrogen treatment on amorphous carbon film using scanning probe microscopy

Amorphous carbon film was treated by hydrogen plasma. The change of surface structure, conductivity, and work function distribution is characterized by scanning probe microscope technique and local electron emission is also analyzed. We find that chemical effect of hydrogen plasma on the a-C film is small, but the etching effect is strong and the surface morphology and conductance are obviously changed after hydrogen treatment. Electron emission enhancement is not due to the decrease of work function or existence of sp2 conductive channels, but from the mutual effect between sp2 and sp3 phase. We suggest that the enhancement is due to the internal electron injection from the sp2-rich interface layer into the surface sp3-rich grains.