Effects of Preparation and Thermal Stability on Hydrogenated Amorphous Carbon Films by Microwave Plasma Chemical Vapor Deposition

Hydrogenated amorphous carbon (a-C:H) films were prepared by microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition (MW-PCVD) technique with a mixture of acetylene and hydrogen. The morphology of three-phase a-C:H films, such as graphite-like, diamond-like and polymer-like were modulated by microwave power, deposition pressure, and flow ratios. Meanwhile, annealing does not seem to change the surface morphology or the film structure. The phase transitions are not found during the different annealing temperatures, showing that a-C:H films have a good thermal stability.