Diamond-like carbon nanocomposite films

Diamond-like carbon (DLC) nanocomposite films were deposited at room temperature by inductively coupled plasma chemical vapor deposition using hexamethyldisilane (HMDS), hexamethyldisilazane (HMDSN), and hexamethyldisiloxane (HMDSO) precursors. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy showed that all the films contained nanoparticles. The DLC nanocomposite films deposited by HMDS contained hollow spherical nanocrystallites, called nanoballs, of hexagonal silicon carbide. The nanocomposite films deposited by HMDSN contained crystalline Si3N4 nanoparticles. The nanocomposite films deposited by HMDSO contained amorphous SiOx nanoparticles. Although both types of films had similar hardness, the DLC nanocomposite films exhibited much lower compressive stresses than the DLC films deposited by methane, i.e., 1.5 vs 11 GPa, respectively. Through the enhancement of gas phase reactions, the inductively coupled plasma should be responsible for the formation of nanoparticles in the nanocomposite films.