Hydrogen-Free Diamond Like Carbon Films with Embedded Cu Nanoparticles: Structure, Composition and Reverse Saturable Absorption Effect

Abstract

In the present research, hydrogen-free diamond like carbon films with embedded copper nanoparticles (DLC:Cu) were grown by simultaneous DC magnetron sputtering of the graphite and copper targets. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy was used to define the composition of the samples. Atomic force microscopy studies of diamond, like carbon films containing different amount of copper, revealed wide range of the surface morphologies as well as sizes and shapes of the embedded copper nanoclusters. Raman scattering spectra of all the DLC:Cu films investigated were typical for diamond-like carbon (including samples containing more than 60 at.% of copper). sp3/sp2 carbon bond ratio in the films decreased with the increase of the Cu amount in the films. According to the optical absorbance measurements, the surface plasmon resonance related absorption peak of DLC:Cu films was only detected in the films containing 28.45 at.% Cu. For the diamond like carbon films containing more than 40 at.% Cu, a further increase of Cu amount in the nanocomposite resulted in minor changes of the absorbance spectra. Some correlation between the changes of the samples surface morphology as well as phase structure and optical absorbance spectra of the films was found. In all cases, reverse-saturable absorption of the DLC:Cu films was observed. For some DLC:Cu films damage of the sample occurred at higher light fluences that can be related to the heating that is caused by the surface plasmon resonance effect.

Antiviral and Antibacterial Efficacy of Nanocomposite Amorphous Carbon Films with Copper Nanoparticles

“…This assumption is in agreement with low-intensity satellite peaks typical for divalent copper found in Cu 2p region (Figure 2, a), discussed in the section 3.1 for this sample. Neither of all these samples exhibited a peak at 568 eV for Cu(0), this suggests a lack of metallic copper on the surface of the films, as is described in more detailed in the literature 59,60 or possible metallic copper core inside the Cu2O shell 33 .…”

Activity gradient driven mass transport in molten fluoride salt medium

“…In addition, the scan over the Cr2p energy range shows no evidence of significant Cr transport. The peak observed at a binding energy of 570 eV is characteristic of the CuLMM peak and comes from the copper sample 31,32 . The XPS data suggests that there is limited to no elemental transport and diffusion of elements from the 316L corrosion capsule to the copper samples regardless of the electrical contact condition.…”

Diamond-Like Carbon (DLC) Coatings: Classification, Properties, and Applications

“…Recently published work revealed DLC films that contain 4-29% of Si and were deposited by reactive magnetron sputtering of C target [145]. H-free DLC films with embedded Cu nanoparticles, such as DLC: Cu, were increased by simultaneous DC magnetron sputtering with graphite and Cu points of view [146].…”