TY - JOUR

T1 - Features of the Structure and Properties of the ta-C Coatings Deposited from Filtered Flows of the Pulsed Cathodic-Arc Discharge

AU - Gao, Yang

AU - Sakhovsky, K. A.

AU - Jiang, Shangzhe

AU - Chepkasov, S. Y.

AU - Jiang, Xiaohong

AU - Rudenkov, A. S.

AU - Makhmanov, Urol K.

AU - Piliptsou, D. G.

AU - Rogachev, A. V.

N1 - This study was supported by the Intergovern-mental Cooperation Projects in the National Key Research and Development Plan of the Ministry of Science and Technology of PRC (No. 2022YFE0196800). The Raman spectrometry was performed on the equipment of CKP “VTAN” in ATRC department of NSU. The research has been carried out within the framework of the NSU program “Strategic Academic Units” (2019) and Ministry of Education of the Republic of Belarus (project 20212075).

PY - 2025/7/8

Y1 - 2025/7/8

N2 - The amorphous carbon (ta-C) coatings have been deposited on the polished silicon (111) substrates using the pulsed cathodic-arc evaporation of the graphite target. A comparative analysis of the structure and properties of the ta-C coatings deposited via the pulsed cathodic-arc evaporation with different pulse voltages has been carried out. According to the Raman analyses, optimal energy modes and arc voltage for generating pulsed flows of carbon plasma have been determined. Using the electromagnetic filter enables the effective separation of the ionic and droplet components of the coating while ensuring the complete removal of the macroparticles from the plasma flow. The surface of the coatings deposited under different separation modes, as well as different discharge voltages, has been studied via scanning electron and atomic force microscopies. This leads to a twofold decrease in the surface roughness compared to the flow without filtration. In addition, an increase in the hardness and elasticity modulus of the coatings has been detected. The optical parameters of the coatings depend directly on the phase composition of the coatings, which is controlled by the sp2/sp3 ratio, and on the parameters of the microstructure (size, number and ordering of sp2 clusters). The application of filters enables the deposition of coatings composed of amorphous carbon that exhibit high mechanical and optical properties. These coatings are notably thinner when compared to those deposited from flows without filtration. This study determines the structure, mechanical, and optical properties of a-C coatings deposited with and without filtration of pulsed plasma carbon flow, maintaining a constant discharge duration.

AB - The amorphous carbon (ta-C) coatings have been deposited on the polished silicon (111) substrates using the pulsed cathodic-arc evaporation of the graphite target. A comparative analysis of the structure and properties of the ta-C coatings deposited via the pulsed cathodic-arc evaporation with different pulse voltages has been carried out. According to the Raman analyses, optimal energy modes and arc voltage for generating pulsed flows of carbon plasma have been determined. Using the electromagnetic filter enables the effective separation of the ionic and droplet components of the coating while ensuring the complete removal of the macroparticles from the plasma flow. The surface of the coatings deposited under different separation modes, as well as different discharge voltages, has been studied via scanning electron and atomic force microscopies. This leads to a twofold decrease in the surface roughness compared to the flow without filtration. In addition, an increase in the hardness and elasticity modulus of the coatings has been detected. The optical parameters of the coatings depend directly on the phase composition of the coatings, which is controlled by the sp2/sp3 ratio, and on the parameters of the microstructure (size, number and ordering of sp2 clusters). The application of filters enables the deposition of coatings composed of amorphous carbon that exhibit high mechanical and optical properties. These coatings are notably thinner when compared to those deposited from flows without filtration. This study determines the structure, mechanical, and optical properties of a-C coatings deposited with and without filtration of pulsed plasma carbon flow, maintaining a constant discharge duration.

KW - Carbon coating

KW - Clusters

KW - Morphology

KW - Nanohardness

KW - Phase

KW - Roughness

UR - https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?partnerID=HzOxMe3b&scp=105011394917&origin=inward

UR - https://www.mendeley.com/catalogue/1002aad3-c4e0-3bbc-9296-85b3dc5e2069/

U2 - 10.18321/ectj1657

DO - 10.18321/ectj1657

M3 - Article

VL - 27

SP - 89

EP - 100

JO - Eurasian Chemico-Technological Journal

JF - Eurasian Chemico-Technological Journal

SN - 1562-3920

IS - 2

M1 - 2

ER -