Preparation and Characterization of Chromium Containing amorphous Hydrogenated Carbon Films (A-C:H/Cr)

Abstract

AbstractChromium containing amorphous hydrogenated carbon films (a-C:H/Cr) were prepared in a process that combines rf plasma activated chemical vapor deposition of methane and magnetron sputtering of a chromium target. During the deposition the silicon substrates were kept at 200°C and dc biased at -200 V in order to obtain films with high chemical stability which is required for the application as solar selective surfaces. the films with different Cr concentrations (5 to 49 at.%) were characterized by in situ x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Up to 40 at.%, chromium proves to be built into the cermet-like films in the form of chromium carbide clusters. above 40 at.%, chromium is partly metallic. a modification of the a-C:H matrix in the vicinity of the chromium carbide clusters has been observed.