Diamond-like carbon films from a hydrocarbon helium plasma
First Claim
1. A method of depositing a diamond-like carbon film onto a substrate by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition which comprises the steps of:
- (a) admixing a gas of a hydrocarbon and helium, wherein a gas mixture, comprising from about 50 to about 1% by volume, hydrocarbon and from about 50 to about 99%, by volume, helium, is formed;
(b) providing a plasma chamber containing a substrate; and
(c) introducing said gas mixture into said plasma chamber to deposit a diamond-like carbon film on said substrate, wherein said diamond-like carbon film has an optical density in the range of from about 1 to about 3 at a wavelength of from about 200 nm to about 365 nm and is thermally stable at a temperature of about 590°
C.
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Abstract
The present invention relates to an improved method of depositing a diamond-like carbon film onto a substrate by low temperature plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) from a hydrocarbon/helium plasma. More specifically, the diamond-like carbon films of the present invention are deposited onto the substrate by employing acetylene which is heavily diluted with helium as the plasma gas. The films formed using the process of the present invention are characterized as being amorphous and having dielectric strengths comparable to those normally observed for diamond films. More importantly, however is that the films produced herein are thermally stable, optically transparent, absorbent in the ultraviolet range and hard thus making them extremely desirable for a wide variety of applications.
87 Citations
28 Claims
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1. A method of depositing a diamond-like carbon film onto a substrate by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition which comprises the steps of:
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(a) admixing a gas of a hydrocarbon and helium, wherein a gas mixture, comprising from about 50 to about 1% by volume, hydrocarbon and from about 50 to about 99%, by volume, helium, is formed; (b) providing a plasma chamber containing a substrate; and (c) introducing said gas mixture into said plasma chamber to deposit a diamond-like carbon film on said substrate, wherein said diamond-like carbon film has an optical density in the range of from about 1 to about 3 at a wavelength of from about 200 nm to about 365 nm and is thermally stable at a temperature of about 590°
C. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A method for depositing a diamond-like carbon film onto a substrate utilizing plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition which comprises the steps of:
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(a) admixing acetylene and helium, wherein a gas mixture comprising from about 50 to about 1%, by volume, acetylene and from about 50 to about 99%, by volume, helium is formed; (b) providing a plasma chamber containing a substrate; and (c) introducing said acetylene/helium gas mixture into said chamber to deposit a diamond-like carbon film on said substrate, said diamond-like carbon film having an optical density in the range from about 1 to about 3 at a wavelength of from about 200 nm to about 365 nm and is thermally stable at a temperature of about 590°
C.
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Specification