Diamond-like carbon films synthesized by cathodic arc evaporation

Al nanoparticles: Impact of media and current on the arc fabrication

“…The plasma evaporator may be scaled up over a broad range of powers by increasing the current (100-2000 A) [25]. Many researchers have employed the arc discharge method [25][26][27][28], yet no report has appeared addressing the current and media effect on Al Nps arc discharge synthesis. Following our studies on a variety of nanomaterials [29][30][31][32][33], here we focus on the size distribution as well as the yield of arc fabricated Al Nps in ethylene glycol (EG), distilled water, liquid nitrogen, gaseous nitrogen, tap water and sunflower oil, at currents of 50, 100 and 150 A/cm 2 .…”

“…This method does not require costly equipment in its setup, leading to remarkably lower investment costs compared with the other well-known methods. Moreover, it is very simple and offers the advantage of fabricating various nanostructures by varying the system configuration and deposition parameters [25][26][27]. The plasma evaporator may be scaled up over a broad range of powers by increasing the current (100-2000 A) [25].…”

Film growth

“…Some mechanical guiding of macroparticles by the walls of the solenoid does occur, to a greater or lesser extent, depending on the presence of apertures or baffles, so that it is difficult to eliminate macroparticles entirely from the growing film. [77] uses a rectilinear solenoid which creates the cathode spot steering field as well as the plasma guiding field. The design described in McKenzie et aJ.l74] uses an electromagnet behind the cathode to produce the steering field and a curvilinear solenoid to guide the plasma.…”

Application of cathodic arc deposited amorphous hard carbon films to the head/disk tribology

“…Attempts to filter the plasma using bent magnetic fields have been successful for applications such as the deposition of high quality titanium nitride thin films, but carbon has been a problem because the particles are solid and multiply reflected from filter walls. Straight filters [9] and filters with bending angles of 20 degrees [lo], 45 degrees 11 13, and 90 degrees [ 121 were tested, and only a system consisting of two connected 90 degrees filters in the shape of an "S" could produce films which are acceptable for the application to the disk drive industry [13]. This S-filter has only a low efficiency and the larger part of the plasma produced in the source is lost, but due to the high plasma production rate of the cathodic arc discharge (the ion current is about 10% of the total arc current and therefore in the order of 10 A) and the low film thicknesses required for head/disk applications the deposition rate can be in the range of 1 n d s and sufficient for industrial applications.…”