Acoustic Monitoring of Carbon Film Formation by Laser-Induced Chemical Vapor Deposition

Abstract

Acoustic signals generated by the deposition of carbon thin films were monitored in situ by a microphone. Photolysis of benzene or adamantane vapor in the presence of helium buffer gas of 5 to 100 Torr by an ArF excimer laser formed several kinds of carbon films (e.g., polymeric, amorphous, and graphitic films), depending on the optical configuration, the ambient pressure, the laser fluence, and the reagent pressure. Analysis of the acoustic signal offers some insight into the mechanism of the deposition processes, which include the graphitization of the deposited films and the role of energetic particles, such as vibrationally excited benzene, in the deposition of amorphous hydrogenated carbon film. Also, the acoustic signal clearly showed the presence of surface-related processes in the course of film deposition.