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The growth of nickel/carbon nanocomposite thin films by a hybrid plasma process, which combines magnetron sputtering and plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition, has been investigated. This study has shown that the films consist of nickel-rich nanostructures embedded in an amorphous carbon matrix. The size, the distribution, the density, and the shape of these nanostructures are directly dependent to the total carbon content within the films. At low carbon content ($28 at. %), dense nanowire array perpendicularly oriented to the surface of the substrate can be fabricated. For an intermediate carbon concentration ($35 at. %), the nickel phase was organized into elongated nanoparticles. These nanoparticles became spherical when reaching a higher carbon content ($54 at. %). The extensive structural study allowed the representation of a structure zone diagram, as well as, the development of a scenario describing the growth mechanisms that take place during the deposition of such nanocomposite material. V C 2012 American Institute of Physics.

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