ELECTRON-CYCLOTRON RESONANCE DEPOSITION OF DIAMOND-LIKE FILMS

Electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) microwave plasma CVD has been developed at low pressures (10-4-10-2 torr) and at ambient and high substrate temperatures (up to 750°C), to achieve large-area (>4 in. diameter) depositions of diamond-like amorphous carbon (a- C:H) films. The application of a rf bias to the substrate stage, which induces a negative self-bias voltage, is found to play a critical role in determining carbon bonding configurations and in modifying the film morphology. There are two distinct types of ECR-deposited, diamond-like films. One type of diamond-like film exhibits a Raman spectrum consisting of broad and overlapping, graphitiD (1360 cm-1, line width = 280 cm-1) and G (1590 cm-1, line width 140 cm-1) lines, and the other type has a broad Raman peak centered at approximately 1500 cm-1. Examination of plasma species by optimal emission spectroscopy shows no correlation between the CH* emission intensity and the deposition rate of diamond-like films. © 1990.