On the influence of a TiN interlayer on DLC coatings produced by pulsed vacuum arc discharge: Compositional and morphological study

The influence of a TiN interlayer on DLC coatings grown on silicon (1 0 0), 316 stainless steel and KCl by using the PAPVD pulsed arc discharge technique is presented in this paper. The structure of the coatings was determined by means of FTIR through observation of the absorption band modes of CH₂ between 3100 and 2800 cm⁻¹ and representation of the sp³ and sp² carbon bonds, respectively. The sp³/sp² bonds ratio was calculated by using the base line method and producing a value greater than 1 which was a good prediction of high hardness. XPS analysis of the films was made; the wide spectrum showed the elemental composition of the films (Ti, N, C). A narrow spectrum of C1s at binding energy of 284.48 eV was obtained, and its deconvolution showed peaks of sp³, sp² and Ti–C. Ti–C bonds were formed due to diffusion of carbon atoms into a TiN matrix. The concentration for the XPS spectra was calculated by using the area under the curve of sp³ and sp² peaks. The morphology of the bilayer, including roughness, grain size and thickness was studied through SPM techniques.     

Mechanical properties and platelet adhesion behavior of diamond-like carbon films synthesized by pulsed vacuum arc plasma deposition

Diamond-like carbon (DLC) is an attractive biomedical material due to its high inertness and excellent mechanical properties. In this study, DLC films were fabricated on Ti6Al4V and Si(1 0 0) substrates at room temperature by pulsed vacuum arc plasma deposition. By changing the argon flow from 0 to 13 sccm during deposition, the effects of argon flow on the characteristics of the DLC films were systematically examined to correlate to the blood compatibility. The microstructure and mechanical properties of the films were investigated using Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) surface analysis, a nano-indenter and pin-on-disk tribometer. The blood compatibility of the films was evaluated using in vitro platelet adhesion investigation, and the quantity and morphology of the adherent platelets was investigated employing optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy.The Raman spectroscopy results showed a decreasing sp³ fraction (an increasing trend in I_D/I_G ratio) with increasing argon flow from 0 to 13 sccm. The sp³:sp² ratio of the films was evaluated from the deconvoluted XPS spectra. We found that the sp³ fraction decreased as the argon flow was increased from 0 to 13 sccm, which is consistent with the results of the Raman spectra. The mechanical properties results confirmed the decreasing sp³ content with increasing argon flow. The Raman D-band to G-band intensity ratio increased and the platelet adhesion behavior became better with higher flow. This implies that the blood compatibility of the DLC films is influenced by the sp³:sp² ratio. DLC films deposited on titanium alloys have high wear resistance, low friction and good adhesion.     

Investigation of evolution hydrocarbon species on a Si surface during methane plasma with and without substrate bias, using infrared spectroscopy in multiple internal reflection geometry

We investigated evolution of hydrocarbon species on a Si surface during methane plasma both with and without substrate bias, using infrared spectroscopy in multiple internal reflection geometry (MIR-IRAS). We found that the relative density of the sp³-CH or sp³-CH₂ species to the sp³-CH₃ species was low in the low exposure regions, but that the relative density of the sp³-CH or sp³-CH₂ species increased as the exposure was higher. Substrate temperatures rose as the plasma exposure was higher. The changes of ratios would be ascribed to the substrate heating effect by plasma exposure, which would enhance the etching and/or hydrogen abstraction effects. We also found the change of CH_1-2/CH₃ ratios was enhanced when the high substrate bias was applied. The enhancement of the ratio was due to ion effects.     

One-pot synthesis of carbon dots co-doped with N and S: high quantum yield governed by molecular state and fluorescence detection of Ag+

Fluorescent carbon-based nanoparticles, called chronically as carbon dots (CDs), were synthesised from citric acid (CA) and 2-Aminothiophenol (2AT) via an N and S co-doped hydrothermal method. After a series of micro-structural characterisation, N and S elements could be sufficiently doped by means of the heteroatom in the CDs solution. The as-prepared CDs solution showed blue colour fluorescence with the highest QY of 78.6%, and study on the UV–visible and PL spectra further revealed that the outstanding fluorescence of as-prepared CDs mainly originates from the generated molecular fluorophores instead of the surface state. Owing to the strong fluorescence, the as-prepared CDs can be used as a sensing probe for the detection of Ag⁺ with high sensitivity and selectivity. However, the changes of fluorescence intensity exhibited the complex nature of the quenching mechanism due to the –SH and –NH₂ groups on the fringes of carbonaceous cores or molecular fluorophores to aggregate into another fluorescent cores with the assistance of Ag⁺ ions, which promises a new approach for efficient detection of Ag⁺ for the application in industrial pollutants.

This figure shows citric acid (CA) and 2-Aminothiophenol (2AT) via an N and S co-doped hydrothermal method to prepare CDs with blue colour fluorescence and the highest QY of 78.6%. Owing to the excellent fluorescence, the as-prepared CDs can be used as a sensing probe for the detection of Ag⁺ with high sensitivity and selectivity, and the changes of fluorescence intensity exhibited the complex nature of the quenching mechanism due to the –SH and –NH₂ groups on the fringes of carbonaceous cores or molecular fluorophores to aggregate into another fluorescent cores with the assistance of Ag⁺ ions, which promises a new approach for efficient detection of Ag⁺ for the application in industrial pollutants.     

Correlation of sp and sp fraction of carbon with electrical, optical and nano-mechanical properties of argon-diluted diamond-like carbon films

In the present work the correlation of electrical, optical and nano-mechanical properties of argon-diluted diamond-like carbon (Ar-DLC) thin films with sp³ and sp² fractions of carbon have been explored. These Ar-DLC thin films have been deposited, under varying C₂H₂ gas pressures from 25 to 75 mTorr, by radio frequency-plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition technique. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy studies are performed to estimate the sp³ and sp² fractions of carbon by deconvoluting C 1s core level spectra. Various electrical, optical and nano-mechanical parameters such as conductivity, I-V characteristics, optical band gap, stress, hardness, elastic modulus, plastic resistance parameter, elastic recovery and plastic deformation energy have been estimated and then correlated with calculated sp³ and sp² fractions of carbon and sp³/sp² ratios. Observed tremendous electrical, optical and nano-mechanical properties in Ar-DLC films deposited under high base pressure conditions made it a cost effective material for not only hard and protective coating applications but also for electronic and optoelectronic applications.     

Tight-binding study of Si2Cn (n = 3 to 42) fullerene-like or nanodiamonds microclusters: are Si atoms isolated or adjacent?

We studied in tight-binding approximation involving sp^ν hybridization (ν=2,3), some Si₂C_n (n=3 to 42) microclusters. We then investigated, on one hand, fragments of fullerene-like structures (sp²), and on the other hand, nanodiamonds (sp³) of adamantane-type or a 44-atom nanodiamond (with 2 inner atoms which are assumed to play the role of bulk atoms). We compared the stabilities, i.e. the electronic energies of these clusters, according to the various positions of the 2 Si atoms. Results are very different in the two kinds of hybridization. Besides, they can be analysed according to two different points of view: either the clusters are considered as small particles with limited sizes, or they are assumed to be used as models in order to simulate the Si-atom behaviour in very larger systems. In sp² hybridization (fullerene-like geometries), the most stable isomer is always encountered when the 2 Si atoms build a Si₂ group, and this result holds for both viewpoints quoted above. Conversely, in sp³ hybridization (nanodiamonds), since Si atoms “prefer” sites having the minimum connectivity, they are never found in adjacent sites. We see that with a simple and fast computational method we can explain an experimental fact which is very interesting such as the relative position of two heteroatoms in the cluster. This enhances the generality and the fecondity in the tight binding approximation due essentially to the link between this model and the graph theory, link based on the topology of the clusters.     

Superior tribological properties of an amorphous carbon film with a graphite-like structure

Amorphous carbon films with high sp² concentrations are deposited by unbalanced magnetron sputtering with a narrow range of substrate bias voltage. Field emission scanning electron microscopes (FESEMs), high resolution transmission electron microscopes (HRTEMs), atomic force microscopes (AFMs), the Raman spectrometers, nano-indentation, and tribometers are subsequently used to characterize the microstructures and the properties of the resulting films. It is found that the present films are dominated by the sp² sites. However, the films demonstrate a moderate hardness together with a low internal stress. The high hardness of the deposited film originates from the crosslinking of the sp² clusters by the sp³ sites. The presence of the graphite-like clusters in the film structure may be responsible for the low internal stress. What is more important is that the resulting films show excellent tribological properties with high load capacity and excellent wear resistance in humid atmospheres. The relationship between the microstructure determined by the deposition condition and the film characteristic is discussed in detail.     

Effect of concurrent electron irradiation on the structure of deposited carbon films

Carbon films 110–180 nm thick are fabricated on nickel substrates by the ion sputtering of graphite with simultaneous electron irradiation and subsequent ion irradiation. Irradiation leads to the formation of bonds in the films in various proportions due to the sp and sp ³ hybridization of orbitals (sp-and sp ³-bonds). Ion irradiation induces, to a greater extent, the formation of sp bonds, while concurrent electron irradiation increases the portion of sp ³ bonds. Electron and ion irradiation increases the film microhardness which reaches a value of 12 GPa. A model of the kinetics of creating carbon allotropes in a deposited film is proposed, which is based on the competition between the formation and breakage of carbon bonds during hybridization of different types. Electron and ion irradiation influence the probabilities of the formation and breakage of carbon bonds in the deposited film. The model provides a qualitative interpretation of the observed content ratios of carbon phases in the deposited film.     

Investigating carbonization and graphitization using electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) in the transmission electron microscope (TEM)

Electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) in the transmission electron microscope (TEM) is explored as a useful characterization technique in the study of carbonization and graphitization of organic precursors. A model series of carbon materials was prepared from highly graphitizable petroleum pitch heat treated in the range 200–2730°C. Initial characterization was performed using the established techniques of X-ray diffraction (XRD), He pycnometry, TEM, electron diffraction and high-resolution lattice imaging (HREM). EELS in the TEM was then examined. Two routes are presented to quantify the change in the proportion of sp ² type hybridization accompanying the heat treatment as the material transforms to the graphitic state. Both routes suggest an initial relative sp ² content of ～70%, rapidly increasing to ～90% during mesophase development and carbonization, and then slowly increasing to 100% during graphitization. The peak position of the bulk valence plasmon (π?+?σ) is shown to be an excellent measure of the degree of graphitic character, and its fundamental dependence upon sample density (ρ) is confirmed. The appearance and definition of features within the core loss region representing the density of unoccupied σ* states are demonstrated to be an excellent measure of the extent of order. Finally, a method is established by which to extract the C–C bond length from core loss EELS spectra with an accuracy of ±0.1?pm. This method suggests an average bond length of 1.44?Å in samples with low heat treatment temperatures, decreasing to the theoretical length of 1.42?Å as both the heteroatom content and proportion of non-sp ²-type hybridized carbon atoms decrease.     

Polyvinyl Alcohol Enhanced Fluorescent Sulfur Quantum Dots for Highly Sensitive Detection of Fe3+ and Temperature in Cells

As a new class of metal-free fluorescent dots, sulfur quantum dots (SQDs) have attracted more and more attention because of their unique properties and promising applications in many fields. However, synthesizing SQDs with high optical stability and stimuli-responsive fluorescence is still in its infancy. Herein, a simple one-pot strategy is reported for preparing polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)-capped SQDs from cheap elemental sulfur by employing PVA as ligand. The as-prepared SQDs with size in range of 1.5–5 nm show fine water dispersibility and stability, bright fluorescence, good optical stability, and low cytotoxicity, which make them potential for cell imaging. In addition, the SQDs show sensitive and selective fluorescence quenching behavior toward Fe³⁺ with a detection limit of 92 × 10⁻⁹ m . Meanwhile, the SQDs also present temperature-dependent fluorescence and hold promise for working as a nanothermometer. For the first time, the utilization of SQDs for monitoring of Fe³⁺ and temperature in the interior of cells is confirmed in this study. This work thus opens new opportunities for expanding the application fields of SQDs.     

非晶碳结构建模和电子结构的第一性原理研究

基于密度泛函理论，采用了一种更为精确的交换相关泛函OLYP(OPTX+LYP)，对密度范围从2.0到3.2 g/cm³的非晶碳进行结构建模. 模拟得到的5个碳网络结构无论从径向分布函数还是sp³含量都与实验符合得很好. 对非晶碳电子结构的研究表明费米能级附近的电子态密度主要是sp²碳原子的贡献. 随着密度的增加，sp³碳原子增加，费米能级附近的态密度越来越小. 小环结构增加了费米能级附近的电子态密度，缺陷态在费米能级形     

Studies of EPES REELS spectra of polyethylenes aided by line shape analysis—Effect of electron irradiation

Polyethylenes of different density, branching structure, crystallographic order, and their degradation due to electron beam were studied using elastic peak electron spectroscopy (EPES) and reflection electron energy loss spectroscopy (REELS) aided with line shape analysis by the pattern recognition (PR) method. This approach offers an algorithm of classification derived from a reference set, i.e. set of spectra recorded from standards exposed to low electron dose (about few C m⁻²), i.e. polyethylene (100% of C sp³ bonds) and polystyrene (75% of C sp² bonds). Then, the obtained classifier is applied for identification of spectra recorded from polyethylenes exposed to electron beam (doses from 40 to 60 C m⁻²). The EPES REELS spectra are analyzed in the vicinity of electron quasi-elastic and inelastic losses. Due to electrons undergoing a quasi-elastic scattering from atoms of different atomic numbers, i.e. carbon and hydrogen, for undamaged polymers the surface hydrogen content can be evaluated.Changes due to electron irradiation in polyethylenes are indicated by decreasing content of hydrogen, increasing C sp² content and changes in the π loss peak in the REELS spectra. Results of PR method are consistent with results obtained from the C 1s XPS spectra fitting and the width of C KLL XAES spectra (parameter D). Highest stability under electron irradiation was shown by polyethylene of largest molecular weight and most linear branching structure. Application of the PR method to EPES REELS spectra allows to distinguish different polyethylenes and quantify the C sp² content.     

非晶碳结构建模和电子结构的第一性原理研究

基于密度泛函理论,采用了一种更为精确的交换相关泛函OLYP(OPTX+LYP),对密度范围从2.0到3.2 g/cm³的非晶碳进行结构建模. 模拟得到的5个碳网络结构无论从径向分布函数还是sp³含量都与实验符合得很好. 对非晶碳电子结构的研究表明费米能级附近的电子态密度主要是sp²碳原子的贡献. 随着密度的增加,sp³碳原子增加,费米能级附近的态密度越来越小. 小环结构增加了费米能级附近的电子态密度,缺陷态在费米能级形 关键词： 非晶碳 密度泛函理论 电子结构     

The microstructure, mechanical and friction properties of protective diamond like carbon films on magnesium alloy

Protective hard coatings deposited on magnesium alloys are believed to be effective for overcoming their poor wear properties. In this work, diamond-like carbon (DLC) films as hard protective films were deposited on AZ91 magnesium alloy by arc ion plating under negative pulse bias voltages ranging from 0 to −200 V. The microstructure, composition and mechanical properties of the DLC films were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and nanoindentation. The tribological behavior of uncoated and coated AZ91 magnesium alloy was investigated using a ball-on-disk tribotester. The results show that the negative pulse bias voltage used for film deposition has a significant effect on the sp³ carbon content and mechanical properties of the deposited DLC films. A maximum sp³ content of 33.3% was obtained at −100 V, resulting in a high hardness of 28.6 GPa and elastic modulus of 300.0 GPa. The DLC films showed very good adhesion to the AZ91 magnesium alloy with no observable cracks and delamination even during friction testing. Compared with the uncoated AZ91 magnesium alloy, the magnesium alloy coated with DLC films exhibits a low friction coefficient and a narrow, shallow wear track. The wear resistance and surface hardness of AZ91 magnesium alloy can be significantly improved by coating a layer of DLC protective film due to its high hardness and low friction coefficient.     

氩离子轰击对四面体非晶碳膜内应力和摩擦系数影响的研究

利用磁过滤真空阴极电弧技术制备了sp³键大于80%的四面体非晶碳(ta-C)薄膜, 通过冷阴极离子源产生keV能量的氩离子轰击ta-C薄膜,研究了氩离子轰击能量对ta-C薄膜结构, 内应力以及耐磨性的影响.通过X射线光电子能谱和原子力显微镜研究了氩离子轰击对薄膜结构 与表面形貌的改性,研究表明,氩离子轰击诱导了ta-C薄膜中sp³键向sp²键的转化, 并且随着氩离子轰击能量的增大,薄膜中sp²键的含量逐渐增多, 薄膜内应力随着氩离子轰击能量的增大逐渐减小.氩离子轰击对薄膜的表面形貌有较大影响, 在薄膜表面形成刻蚀坑,并且改变了薄膜的表面粗糙度,随着氩离子轰击能量的增大, 薄膜的表面粗糙度也会逐渐增大.通过摩擦磨损仪的测试结果,氩离子轰击对薄膜的初始摩擦系数影响较大, 但是对薄膜的稳定摩擦系数影响较小,经过氩离子轰击前后的ta-C薄膜的摩擦系数为0.1左右, 并且具有优异的耐磨性.     

Modeling of ion-assisted deposition using BCA computer simulation

Abstract

TRIM type binary collision approximation event store codes have employed to simulate collisional effects which occur during ion-beam or plasma assisted deposition of thin films.

Calculations can been performed using simplifying rate equation models, into which yields obtained from static TRIM simulations are inserted. Alternatively, the dynamic-composition code TRIDYN allows direct and complete simulations of the time-dependent processes.

Results are shown for different processes of ion-beam assisted deposition (IBAD), ion-beam mixing (IBM) post-treatment, and plasma-enhanced chemical vapour deposition (PECVD). Simulations of the formation of boron nitride films deposited from evaporated boron and energetic nitrogen show an excellent agreement with experimental results for nitrogen concentrations below the stoichiometric limit. For high N/B flux ratios, non-collisional mechanisms (ion-induced outdiffusion, surface trapping of outdiffusing nitrogen) have been included in the simulations, again producing good agreement with the experimental results. The ion-induced interface mixing of boron films on iron substrates is compared to experimental adhesion studies both for Ar⁺ post-treatment and Ar⁺ bombardment during deposition, demonstrating that the final adhesion is also influenced by other than purely collisional mechanisms. A special version of TRIDYN is used to treat the ion-induced densification of carbon films grown during simultaneous Ne⁺ bombardment, with reasonable agreement with experimental results. Finally, simple models are evaluated for the growth, composition and structure of C:H films grown in methane plasmas. The hydrogen content of the films decreases with increasing ion energy due to ion-induced release of hydrogen. Attempts to understand their bonding structure, in terms of the sp³/sp² ratio, on the basis of ion-induced preferential displacement, fail with respect to the energy dependence.     

Characterization of sp carbon produced by plasma deposition on gamma-TiAl alloys

Surfaces of two gamma-TiAl alloys, Ti-47%Al-2%Nb-2%Cr (MJ12) and Ti-47%Al-2%Nb-2%Mn + 0.8%TiB₂ (MJ47), were modified by acetylene plasma deposition at −3 kV bias voltage for 0.5-4 h. By using GIXRD and SAED, C (n-diamond), TiC, Al, AlTi, AlTi₂, AlTi₃, Al_0.64Ti_0.36 and Al₂Ti were detected on both alloys. Additional TiB₂ was detected on MJ47. XPS and Raman analyses revealed the presence of sp³ and sp² carbon deposited on the alloy surfaces with their binding energies of 283.9-284.8 eV for MJ12 and 283.9-285.0 eV for MJ47. Both sp³ and sp² contents were increased with the increase in the exposure times. The increasing rate of the first was less than that of the second, due to the stress developed in the films. Moiré fringe and crystallographic planes were detected using TEM. Knoop hardness of the deposited alloys, influenced by sp³ carbon, was increased with the increase in the exposure time. Those of MJ12 and MJ47 with 4 h deposition are 1.88 and 1.57 times of the corresponding untreated alloys, respectively.     

Electron emission degradation of nano-structured sp^2-bonded amorphous carbon films

The initial field electron emission degradation behaviour of original nano-structured sp^2-bonded amorphous carbon films has been observed, which can be attributed to the increase of the work function of the film in the field emission process analysed using a Fowler-Nordheim plot. The possible reason for the change of work function is suggested to be the desorption of hydrogen from the original hydrogen termination film surface due to field emission current-induced local heating. For the explanation of the emission degradation behaviour of the nano-structured sp2-bonded amorphous carbon film, a cluster model with a series of graphite （0001） basal surfaces has been presented, and the theoretical calculations have been performed to investigate work functions of graphite （0001） surfaces with different hydrogen atom and ion chemisorption sites by using first principles method based on density functional theory-local density approximation.     

Spin–orbit coupling in bulk GaAs

We study the spin–orbit coupling in the whole Brillouin zone for GaAs using both the sp³s^*d⁵ and sp³s^* nearest-neighbor tight-binding models. In the Γ-valley, the spin splitting obtained is in good agreement with experimental data. We then further explicitly present the coefficients of the spin splitting in GaAs L- and X-valleys. These results are important to the realization of spintronic device and the investigation of spin dynamics far away from equilibrium.     

The electrochemical and mechanical properties of Ti incorporated amorphous carbon films in Hanks’ solution

Ti incorporated amorphous carbon (a-C) films with variant Ti contents were prepared by the unbalanced magnetron sputtering process. Scanning electron microscopy, ultraviolet Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy were used to characterize the microstructure of a-C films. The hardness and lubricated tribological properties were assessed using nanoindentation and ball-on-disk tribometer. As the Ti content in a-C films increases from 0 to 15.2 at.%, the sp³ volume fraction, the internal stress and the hardness of the films decreases gradually, while the disorder of sp² bond increases. The electrochemical tests reveal that the a-C films with lower than 1.5 at.% Ti possess good corrosion resistance in Hanks’ solution, while the a-C film with 15.2 at.% Ti is susceptible to crevice corrosion. The reduced friction of the a-C films is due to the sp² bonded film surface and boundary lubrication of the Hanks’ solution. The a-C film with 3.1 at.% Ti exhibits the best wear resistance in Hanks’ solution among the studied films.