Ion beam modification of fullerene films and their frictional behavior

Abstract

C60 films were deposited on a variety of substrates by thermal evaporation. The presence of C60 in the films was confirmed by Transmission Electron Microscopy and Raman spectroscopic analysis. The C60 films exhibited an average friction coefficient of 0.4–0.5. The films were irradiated with 2 MeV Ag+ and B+ ions at various doses. High energy ion bombardment created damage that resulted in partly crystalline to amorphous films, dependent on the mass and dose of ions. The amorphous films showed a friction coefficient of <0.1. Partly crystalline films showed a friction coefficient at the same level as that of unirradiated films.