DLC Films Grown On Steel Using An Innovator Active Screen System For PECVD Technique

Abstract

In this work, an active screen plasma discharge system based technology was incorporated in a PECVD reactor for DLC films growth, making it a new development in DLC films deposition. In this case, the active screen system is used to seek better electrons confinement, which might result in high ions density due to the collisions number increase, leading to a possible increase in ionization. DLC films were grown on steel substrates, using two variations of this system. In order to enhance adhesion between coating and substrate, a silicon interlayer was deposited, using different bias voltages. Morphological and structural characterization was performed by scanning electron microscopy, optical profilometry and Raman scattering spectroscopy. Tribological tests were performed by nanohardness, scratch and wear tests. Results showed that the plasma confinement promoted good films adhesion, which may be related to a high sub-implantation. This might be a consequence of the pressure decrease, as well as, to the ions energy distribution narrowing.

Deposition of DLC Films onto Oxynitriding-Treated V4E High Vanadium Tool Steel through DC-Pulsed PECVD Process

“…The DLC lms hydrogenation presented few variations when each system was analyzed separately. 19) In this study, the thickness of the DLC lms displayed a similar level after each of the different power densities of DC-pulsed PECVD treatments. It is reasonable to suggest that the hydrogen content of the specimens would show insigni cant variations.…”

Diamond Deposition on Iron and Steel Substrates: A Review

“…In the work of An et al, pulsed kV bias technique was applied to prepare DLC films, which can increase the carbonous ion energy to increase the sp 3 content in DLC films and improve the adhesion with the substrate simultaneously while avoiding adverse temperature increase [ 76 ]. Some other methods, such as preparing DLC films on steel by plasma-enhanced CVD at lower temperature (about 300 °C) [ 77 , 78 ], and preparing DLC films on inner surfaces of steel tubes by nanopulse plasma CVD [ 79 ], were also reported. In the work of Yang et al, the catalytic effect of Fe 3 C on DLC growth was investigated [ 80 ].…”

Maleic anhydride film deposition through an active screen plasma system

“…The FTIR spectrum shown in figure 2 presents both typical bands to identify the anhydride group structure around 1780 and 1850 cm −1 [19], indicating the maintenance of that group after the plasma deposition. Typical functional groups of carboxylic bands around 1730 cm −1 can also be observed [18], which indicates the opening of the monomer's ring [7]. This is observed for all films grown in DC-plasma (under continuous discharge voltage) in both configurations, 'with AS' and 'not AS'.…”

“…For all other conditions, the substrate's temperature was lower than 50 • C. The temperature was also observed to increase slightly as the process time increases, as observed under CAS and CNAS conditions, from 10 to 20 min. The plasma current is higher for AS configurations due to two main reasons: (1) higher area around the grid that generates more plasma volume and (2) low electrical impedance in the plasma that may be attributed to geometric effects of the grid (small distance between the grid wires, around 1.0 mm), which produces an effect similar to the well-known hollow cathode effect [18]. The relationship between voltage and current provides an analysis of the discharge impedance, shown in table 2.…”