• Journal of the Korean Vacuum Society
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• v.8 no.4B
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• pp.524-529
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• 1999

We deposited diamond phase carbon thin films on Si substrate by the electrolysis of methanol solution. A little amount of ammonia solution was added to increase the current density of the electrolyte. We analyzed films by XRD and SEM. The chemical change of electrolyte during the electrolysis process was characterized by FTIR. We obtained better quality diamond phase carbon films at a lower applying boltage(300V) and temperature ($40^{\circ}C$) by adding ammonia solution to methanol electrolyte. Diamond (111), (220), (311) peaks were shown distinctively in XRD graph. Addition of ammonia solution resulted in lowering the applying bias voltage to 300V and the substrate temperature to $40^{\circ}C$ still maintaining a high current density at 80mA/$\textrm{cm}^2$, which prohibited a great loss of solution from vaporization. Possible change of chemical reaction due to the addition of ammonia solution was also discussed.

• Journal of the Korean institute of surface engineering
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• v.44 no.5
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• pp.190-195
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• 2011

Diamond-like carbon (DLC) has many outstanding properties such as low friction, high wear resistance and corrosion resistance. However, it is difficult to achieve enough adhesion on the metal substrates because of weak bonding between DLC film and the metal substrate. The purpose of this study is to enhance an adhesion of DLC film. For improving adhesion, the substrate was treated by active screen plasma nitriding before DLC film deposing. Nitrided substrates were investigated by Glow Discharge Spectrometer (GDS), Micro-Vickers Hardness. DLC films were deposited on several metals by linear ion source, and characteristics of the films were investigated using nano-indentation, Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FESEM). The adhesion was measured by scratch tester. The adhesion of DLC films was increased when nitriding layer was formed before DLC deposition. Therefore, the adhesion of DLC film can be enhanced as increasing the hardness of materials.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.19 no.8
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• pp.701-706
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• 2006

In addition to its similarity to genuine diamond film, diamond-like carbon (DLC) film has many advantages, including its wide band gap and variable refractive index. In this study, DLC films were prepared by the RF PECVD (Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition) method on silicon substrates using methane $(CH_4)$ and hydrogen $(H_2)$ gas. We examined the effects of the post annealing temperature on the structural variation of the DLC films. The films were annealed at temperatures ranging from 300 to $900^{\circ}C$ in steps of $200^{\circ}C$ using RTA equipment in nitrogen ambient. The thickness of the film and interface between film and substrate were observed by surface profiler, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), respectively. Raman and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis showed that DLC films were graphitized ($I_D/I_G$, G-peak position and $sp^2/sp^3$ increased) ratio at higher annealing temperature. The variation of surface as a function of annealing treatment was verified by a AFM and contact angle method.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.322-325
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• 2008

3,3-Dimethyl-1-butene ($C_6H_{12}$) monomer was deposited using a plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) instrument. The more the R.F. power/pressure ratio in FT-IR spectrum, the less the hydrogen quantity and the dangling bond in amorphous carbon films observed so that the mechanical property of the films are improved related to the density. Also, with the increase D peak in Raman spectrum is increased and the ring structure's films are produced. According to these results, hardness and modulus are 12 GPa and 85 GPa, respectively. The refractive index (n) and extinction coefficients (k) of the deposited films are increased with the increase in a power/pressure ratio.

• Journal of the Korean Vacuum Society
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.333-338
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• 2011

In this work, we have fabricated the amorphous carbon (a-C:H) thin film by using unbalanced magnetron sputtering method with the magnetron source of inside/outside electromagnetic coils as the protective coating materials. We have investigated the tribological properties of amorphous carbon films prepared with various electromagnetic coil currents for the change of the plasma density, such as hardness, friction coefficient, adhesion, and surface roughness. Raman and HRTEM were used to study the microstructure of carbon films. In the result, the hardness and adhesion properties of a-C:H films were improved with increasing electromagnetic coil current due to the increase of the plasma density to the substrate. Thus, these results can be explained by the increase of $sp^2$ bonding and cluster number in the amorphous carbon film, related to the improved bombardment around substrate and the increased substrate temperature.

• Journal of the Korean Vacuum Society
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.8-15
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• 2002

Tetrahedral amorphous carbon(ta-C) films were deposited by the filtered vacuum arc(FVA) process. The FVA process has many advantages such as high ionization ratio and the ion energy, which is suitable for dense amorphous carbon film deposition. However, the energy of the carbon ion cannot be readily controlled by manipulating the arc source parameters. In order to control the film properties in wide range, we investigated the dependence of the film properties on the substrate bias voltage. The mechanical properties and the density of the film exhibit the maximum values at about -100 V of the bias voltage. The maximum values of hardness and density were respectively 54$\pm$3 GPa and 3.6$\pm$0.4 g/㎤, which are 3 to 5 times higher than those of the films deposited by RF PACVD or ion beam process. The details of the atomic bond structure were analysed by Raman and NEXAFS spectroscopy. The change in the film properties for various bias voltages could be understood in the view of the $sp^2$ and $sp^3$ bond fraction in the deposited films.

• Journal of the Korean institute of surface engineering
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.27-33
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• 2003

Pulsed magnetron sputtering of graphite target was employed for deposition of diamond-like carbon (DLC) films. Time-resolved probe measurements of magnetron discharge plasma have been performed. It was shown that the pulsed magnetron discharge plasma density ($∼10^{17}$ $m^{-3}$ ) is close to that of vacuum arc cathode sputtering of graphite. Raman spectroscopy was sed to examine DLC films produced at low ( $U_{sub}$ / < 1 kV) pulsed bias voltages applied to the substrate. It has been shown that maximum content of diamond-like carbon in the coating (50-60%) is achieved at energy per deposited carbon atom of $E_{c}$ =100 eV. In spite of rather high percentage of $sp^3$-bonded carbon atoms and good scratch-resistance, the films showed poor adhesion because of absence of ion mixing between the film and the substrates. Electric breakdowns occurring during the deposition of the insulating DLC film also thought to decrease its adhesion.

• Journal of Electrochemical Science and Technology
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.330-338
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• 2021

An integral electrode-bipolar plate assembly, which is composed of electrode, conductive adhesive film (CAF) and bipolar plate, has been developed and evaluated for application with a vanadium redox flow battery (VRB) to decrease contact resistance between electrode and bipolar plate. The CAF, made of EVA (ethylene-vinyl-acetate) material with carbon black or CNT (Carbon Nano Tube), is applied between the electrode and the bipolar plate to enable an integral assembly by adhesion. In order to evaluate the integral assembly of VRB by adhesive film, the resistivity of integral assembly and the performance of single cell were investigated. Thus, it was verified that the integral assembly is applicable to redox flow battery. Through resistance and contact resistance of bare EVA and CAF films on bipolar plate were changed. Among the adhesive films, CAF film coated with carbon black showed the lowest value in through resistance, and CAF film coated with CNT showed the lowest value in contact resistance, respectively. The efficiency of VRB single cell was improved by applying CAF films coated with carbon black and CNT, resulting in the reduced overvoltage in charging process. Therefore, the energy efficiency of both CAF films, about 84%, were improved than that of blank cell, about 79.5 % under current density at 40 mA cm^-2. The energy efficiency of the two cells were similar, but carbon black coated CAF improved the coulomb efficiency and CNT coated CAF improved the voltage efficiency, respectively.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 2004.10a
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• pp.467-470
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• 2004

Diamond-Like Carbon (DLC) thin film is a semiconductor with high mechanical hardness, low friction coefficient, high chemical inertness, and optical transparency. DLC thin films have widespread applications as protective coatings and solid lubricant coatings in areas such as Hard Disk Drive (HDD) and Micro-Electro-Mechanical-Systems (MEMS). In this work, the wear characteristics of DLC thin films deposited on silicon substrates using a DC-magnetron sputtering system were analyzed. The wear tracks were measured with an Atomic Force Microscope (AFM). To identify the sp2 and sp3 hybridization of carbon bonds and other bonds Raman spectroscopy was used. The structural information of DLC thin films was obtained with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and wear tests were conducted by using a micro-pin-on-reciprocator tester. Results showed that the wear characteristics were dependent on the sputtering conditions. The wear rate could be correlated with the bonding state of the DLC thin film.

• Transactions on Electrical and Electronic Materials
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.165-171
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• 2013

Nanostructured pure a-C and nitrogen doped a-C: N thin films with small particle size of, ~50 nm were obtained by Aerosol-assisted CVD method from the natural precursor camphor oil. Five samples were prepared for the a-C and a-C: N respectively, with the deposition temperatures ranging from $400^{\circ}C$ to $600^{\circ}C$. At high temperature, the AFM clarifies an even smoother image, due to the increase of the energetic carbon ion bombardment at the surface of the thin film. An ohmic contact was acquired from the current-voltage solar simulator characterization. The higher conductivity of a-C: N, of ${\sim}{\times}10^{-2}Scm^{-1}$ is due to the decrease in defects since the spin density gap decrease with the nitrogen addition. Pure a-C exhibit absorption coefficient, ${\alpha}$ of $10^4cm^{-1}$, whereas for a-C:N, ${\alpha}$ is of $10^5cm^{-1}$. The high ${\sigma}$ value of a-C:N is due to the presence of more graphitic component ($sp^2$ carbon bonding) in the carbon films.