Nanodiamond crystallites embedded in carbon films prepared by thermionic vacuum arc method

• Published in: Diamond and related materials Vol. 20; no. 7; pp. 1061 - 1064
• Main Authors: Lungu, C.P., Grigorescu, C.E.A., Rusu, M.I., Jepu, I., Porosnicu, C., Lungu, A.M., Feraru, I.D., Savastru, D.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 01.07.2011; Elsevier
• Subjects: Carbon; Clusters; Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Crystallites; Exact sciences and technology; Fullerenes and related materials; diamonds, graphite; Materials science; Nanodiamond crystallites; Nanoscale materials and structures: fabrication and characterization; Nanostructure; Nanostructured carbon films; Other topics in nanoscale materials and structures; Physics; Raman spectroscopy; Silicon substrates; Specific materials; Stainless steels; Structure and morphology; thickness; Surfaces and interfaces; thin films and whiskers (structure and nonelectronic properties); Thermionic vacuum arc method; Thermionics; Thin film structure and morphology; X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy; Thermionic vacuum arc method; Nanodiamond crystallites; Nanostructured carbon films; Raman spectroscopy; Synthetic diamond; Glass; Nanostructures; Carbon; Layer thickness; Stainless steels; Thin films; Polycrystalline diamond; Nanoparticles; Crystallites; Monocrystals; Transmission electron microscopy; Wafers; Graphite; Silicon; Nanostructured materials; Vacuum arcs; X-ray photoelectron spectra
• ISSN: 0925-9635; 1879-0062
• DOI: 10.1016/j.diamond.2011.06.010

Nanostructured carbon films with thicknesses of 100 and 200 nm have been deposited from pure vapour carbon plasma using an original thermionic vacuum arc method. Silicon single crystalline wafers, glass and stainless steel held at 400 °C were used for substrates. The films consist of diamond nanoparticles of 5 nm diameter on the average embedded in a disordered graphite matrix as revealed by HRTEM, XPS and visible Raman measurements. The graphitic cluster diameters L a range from 1.5 to 2.3 nm. Thicker films (200 nm) on stainless steel exhibit the largest clusters. ► Nanostructured carbon films deposited by original thermionic vacuum arc method. ► Films consist of diamond nanoparticles embedded in a disordered graphite matrix. ► HRTEM analysis proves NDC with an average size of 5 nm and of NC graphite. ► Raman spectra show that films result from hysteresis.