Plasma diagnostics of rf discharges used for the deposition of hydrogenated amorphous carbon coatings

J. Smeets; V. Van den Bergh; R. Jacobs; L. Eersels; J. Meneve; E. Dekempeneer

doi:doi:10.1051/jp3:1992191

Numéro		J. Phys. III France Volume 2, Numéro 8, August 1992


Page(s)		1461 - 1468
DOI		https://doi.org/10.1051/jp3:1992191

DOI: 10.1051/jp3:1992191
J. Phys. III France 2 (1992) 1461-1468

Plasma diagnostics of rf discharges used for the deposition of hydrogenated amorphous carbon coatings

J. Smeets, V. Van den Bergh, R. Jacobs, L. Eersels, J. Meneve and E. Dekempeneer

Materials Department, SCK/VITO, Boeretang 200, 2400 Mol, Belgium

(Received 1st February, accepted 18 April 1992)

Abstract
The deposition process of amorphous hydrogenated carbon has been studied using optical emission spectroscopy and self-bias measurements. For a given rf power, a transition between two distinct discharge regimes is observed when increasing the pressure. This transition is attributed to different mechanisms by which electrons gain energy in the sheaths and the plasma ( $\alpha{-}\gamma$ discharge transition). Ionic species are shown to play an important role in the formation of hard carbon layers.