• Tribology and Lubricants
• /
• v.38 no.3
• /
• pp.101-108
• /
• 2022

The structure and properties of tetrahedral amorphous carbon (ta-C) coatings depend on the main process parameters and bending angles of the magnetic field filter used in the filtered cathodic vacuum arc (FCVA). During the process, it is possible to effectively control the plasma flux of carbon ions incident on the substrate by controlling the arc discharge current, thereby influencing the mechanical properties of the coating film. Furthermore, we can control the size and amount of large particles mixed during carbon film formation while conforming with the bending angle of the mechanical filter mounted on the FCVA; therefore, it also influences the mechanical properties. In this study, we consider tribological characteristics for filtered bending angles of 45° and 90° as a function of arc discharge currents of 60 and 100 A, respectively. Experiment results indicate that the frictional behavior of the ta-C coating film is independent of the bending angle of the filter. However, its sliding wear behavior significantly changes according to the bending angle of the FCVA filter, unlike the effect of the discharge current. Further, upon changing the bending angle from 45° to 90°, abrasive wear gets accelerated, thereby changing the size and mixing amount of macro particles inside the coating film.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
• /
• v.13 no.4
• /
• pp.326-331
• /
• 2000

We have fabricated the field emitter arrays coated with diamond-like carbon (DLC) films that improved the field emission characteristics. The nitrogen doped DLC films are prepared by the filtered cathodic vacuum are (FCVA) tehnique. The activation energy of the nitrogen doped DLC films are derived from electrical conductivity measurements. The silicon field emission arrays (FEAs) were prepared by the VLSI technique. The turn-on field was rapidly decreasing and the emission current was remarkably increasing the DLC-coated FEAs than the non-coated silicon FEAs. In the nitrogen doped FEAs, the turn-on field decreased and the emission current increased with increasing the nitrogen found out the field emission current and the work function of the DLC-coated FEAs was remarkably decreased than that of the non-coated silicon FEAs. As nitrogen doping concentrations are increased the work function of FEAs is decreased and the field emission properties are improved in nitrogen doped DLC-coated FEAs. This phenomenon in due the fact that the Fermi energy level moves to the conduction band by increasing nitrogen doping concentration.

• Journal of the Korean institute of surface engineering
• /
• v.54 no.2
• /
• pp.53-61
• /
• 2021

The properties of tetrahedral amorphous Carbon (ta-C) film can be determined by multiple parameters and comprehensive effects of those parameters during a deposition process with filtered cathodic vacuum arc (FCVA). In this study, Taguchi method was adopted to design the optimized FCVA deposition process of ta-C for improving deposition efficiency and mechanical properties of the deposited ta-C thin film. The influence and contribution of variables, such as arc current, substrate bias voltage, frequency, and duty cycle, on the properties of ta-C were investigated in terms of deposition efficiency and mechanical properties. It was revealed that the deposition rate was linearly increased following the increasing arc current (around 10 nm/min @ 60 A and 17 nm/min @ 100A). The hardness and I_D/I_G showed a correlation with substrate bias voltage (over 30 GPa @ 50 V and under 30 GPa @ 250 V). The scratch tests were conducted to specify the effect of each parameter on the resistance to plastic deformation of films. The analysis on variances showed that the arc current and substrate bias voltage were the most effective controlling parameters influencing properties of ta-C films. The optimized parameters were extracted for the target applications in various industrial fields.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
• /
• 1997.11a
• /
• pp.273-275
• /
• 1997

We fabricated the conventional silicon tips coated with a diamond-like carbon (DLC) film. The DLC films are prepared by the filtered cathodic vacuum arc (FCVA) technique. With increasing nitrogen content in DLC film, the work function($\phi$) and the turn-on voltage decrease and the emission current increases. This phenomenon is due to the fact that the Fermi-level moves to the conduction band by increasing nitrogen doping concentration. We have tested on the stability of the DLC film coated silicon tip during 2 hours at 500V.

• Journal of the Korean Vacuum Society
• /
• v.12 no.1
• /
• pp.25-34
• /
• 2003

Deposition behavior of hard amorphous carbon film was investigated by molecular dynamic simulation using Tersoff potential which was suggested for the interaction potential between carbon atoms. When high energy carbon atoms were collided on diamond (100) surface, dense amorphous carbon film could be obtained. Physical properties of the simulated carbon film were compared with those of the film deposited by filtered cathodic arc process. As in the experimental result, the most diamond-like film was obtained at an optimum kinetic energy of the incident carbon atoms. The optimum kinetic energy was 50 eV, which is comparable to the experimental observation. The simulated film was amorphous with short range order of diamond lattice. At the optimum kinetic energy condition, we found that significant amount of carbon atom were placed at a metastable site of distance 2.1 $\AA$. By melting and quenching simulation of diamond lattice, it was shown that this metastatic peak is Proportional to the quenching rate. These results show that the hard and dense diamond-like film could be obtained when the localized thermal spike due to the collision of high energy carbon atom can be effectively dissipated to the lattice.

• Journal of the Korean institute of surface engineering
• /
• v.40 no.1
• /
• pp.6-10
• /
• 2007

For low-emissivity application on window glass, coalescence of thin film silver islands is crucial for high transmittance in the visible and high reflectance in the infrared. It is well known that the underlayer affects the growth mode. In this work, the effect of the underlayer on the growth of silver films deposited by filtered cathodic vacuum arc is discussed. While a nominal 0.1 nm niobium underlayer has promoted the coalescence of silver islands, a 0.2 nm layer did not show these features. From a thermodynamic approach, Nb seeding less one monolayer is considered to reduce the surface energy between the silver atoms and $Nb/TiO_2$ surface, resulting the change of its growth from 3D islands to 2D-layer modes. If the seed layer exceeds one monolayer, however, a rougher surface is formed because the surface energy of Nb itself is superior to that of $Nb-TiO_2$. The onset of silver layer on the roughened Nb surface is required more silver.

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

• The Transactions of the Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers C
• /
• v.52 no.3
• /
• pp.109-115
• /
• 2003

Diamond-like carbon (DLC) films are deposited at room temperature using a filtered cathodic vacuum arc (FCVA) technique. The influence of negative bias voltage (applied to the substrate from 0 to -250V) on the $sp^3$ hybridized carbon fraction is examined by Raman spectroscopy and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) for C 1s core peak. For the first time, depth profile of C 1s, Si 2p, and O 1s XPS peaks for the deposited DLC film are obtained. DLC film is modeled as a multilayered structure. composing of surface, bulk, and interface. In addition, the x-ray reflectivity (XRR) is proposed as a method for estimating the density, surface roughness, and thickness of each layer constituting the DLC film. The estimated thickness of DLC film is in good agreement with the result obtained from the transmission electron microscope (TEM) measurement.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
• /
• 1997.11a
• /
• pp.683-687
• /
• 1997

The purpose of this work is to develop a highly reliable solar cell based on the diamond-like carbon(DLC)/silicon heterojunction. Thin films of DLC have been deposited by employing both filtered cathodic vacuum arc(FCVA) and magnetron plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition(m-PECVD) systems. Structural, electrical, and optical properties of DLC films deposited are systematically analyzed as a function of deposition conditions, such as magnetic field, substrate bias voltage, gas pressure, and nitrogen content. The I-V measurement has been used to elucidate the mechanism responsible for the conduction process in the DLC/Si junction. Photoresponse characteristics of the junction are measured and its reliability against temperature and light stresses is also analyzed.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
• /
• 1997.07d
• /
• pp.1383-1386
• /
• 1997

Dimond-like carbon(DLC) films have been deposited by using both rf plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) and filtered cathodic vacuum arc (FCVA) deposition systems. Effects of deposition conditions, such as dc self-bias, $CH_4$ gas pressure, substrate bias, and $N_2$ partial pressure, on the structural and electrical properties of DLC films are examined. The experimental results obtained have also been discussed by considering a theoretical model for film growth.