ULTRA THIN CARBON FILMS DEPOSITED ON SrTiO3 SUBSTRATES BY THERMIONIC VACUUM ARC

Abstract

Carbon thin films were obtained on strontium titanate ( SrTiO3 ) substrates using the thermionic vacuum arc (TVA) method. TVA is a different, cheap and fast technology for thin film production. The films were produced with filament current of 22 amperes from a high purity graphite rod. The crystal structure and surface morphology of the thin films were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and atomic force microscopy (AFM), respectively. In this way, microstructural characterization, surface topography, nanomechanical properties (nanohardness and adhesion force) and reflective properties of the carbon thin films produced on SrTiO3 (100), (110) and (111) substrates were determined. Deposited carbon thin films on different orientated SrTiO3 substrates are in polycrystalline structures. Hardness of the carbon thin films has been measured in approximately 40 GPa. This hardness value is in the range of excellent hardness region. According to reflection analysis, the film is antireflective.