Effect of substrate bias in hydrogenated amorphous carbon films having embedded nanocrystallites deposited by cathodic jet carbon arc technique

The effect of substrate bias on the structural, morphological, electrical and mechanical properties of hydrogenated amorphous carbon films having embedded nanocrystallites deposited by cathodic jet carbon arc technique has been investigated. X-ray diffraction exhibits predominantly an amorphous nature of the film with nanocrystallites of diamond embedded in the amorphous carbon matrix. High resolution transmission electron microscope investigations reveal largely a uniform amorphous structure. However, an ultra fine microstructure with the average grain size between 8 and 25 nm was constituting the entire film with the diffused grain boundaries between the grains. Majority of the individual grains are single crystallite with the preferred inter planar spacing of about 0.213 nm and 0.208 nm corresponding to the diamond planes of 102 and 103, respectively. All the evaluated parameters were seen to depend strongly on the negative substrate bias and exhibit maxima or minima in the properties of the films deposited at − 60 V substrate bias.

► We deposited hydrogenated amorphous carbon (a-C: H) films having embedded nanocrystallites. ► The cathodic jet carbon arc (CJCA) technique has been used to deposit such a-C: H films. ► a-C: H films are having grains size between 8 and 25 nm. ► The effect of negative substrate bias on the properties of a-C: H films has been studied. ► The properties of a-C: H films have been compared with ta-C: H films deposited by FCVA process.