Characteristics of Carbon Films Deposited by Magnetron Sputtering

Carbon thin films are often called in the literature, "diamond-like carbon" films. They consist of two basic allotropic forms of carbon, which are graphite and diamond. Carbon atoms with sp(2) bonds form after deposition of a graphite-like phase. Atoms with sp(3) bonds form a diamond-like phase. Diamond-like crystallites are built into a graphite-like phase matrix. In this paper there are presented experimental results of deposition of carbon films by the magnetron sputtering method and the results of analysis of the surface and phase structures of the deposited films. The amorphous carbon films were deposited from graphite targets on 316L steel substrates. The films were deposited at room temperature, in vacuum. The deposition time was 3 h; the depositions were conducted at two different distances between the substrate and the magnetron target.