Influence of deposition parameters on the properties of Ag-C films deposited by rf magnetron sputtering

Abstract

Surface morphology, chemical composition and hardness of silver-carbon (Ag-C) films, rich in silver, deposited by reactive sputter deposition from a silver (Ag) target onto silicon (100) substrate in an argon/acetylene plasma, have been studied as a function of acetylene flow. cathode power and substrate bias. Ag-C films were obtained at acetylene flow rates from 0 to 10 sec, and cathode powers of 120 and 150 W. Ag-C films were characterized by x-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy. scanning electron microscopy and nanoindentation. lt. has been observed the increase of graphite-like bonds in the Ag-C films with the acetylene flow. The AFM revealed that the acetylene gas promotes changes on the surface morphology. Also the density and hardness decrease with the acetylene flow rate. In particular, for Ag-C films deposited at acetylene flow rates from 2 to 8 seem the hardness decreases from 1,8 GPa to 0,40 GPa. These changes on the surfarce rnorphologv and hardness are disenssed in terms of atoms diffusion on the surface and the chemical composition of tite Ag-C films