High rate deposition of diamond-like carbon films by magnetically enhanced plasma CVD

A magnetically enhanced plasma chemical vapor deposition (MEPCVD) system has been developed for the deposition of DLC film without deterioration of the film quality. A perpendicular magnetic field (B) to the electric field was applied in the RF capacitively coupled plasma enhanced (PE) CVD system. Significantly higher levels of ionization are achieved in the MEPCVD system, resulting in much lower self-bias voltage and higher deposition rate. The deposition rate of DLC film can be increased by about one order of magnitude (B at 200 Gauss) by MEPCVD, comparing with the non-magnetic field case. The properties of the DLC film deposited by MEPCVD system were also improved; there is a higher hardness and Young's modulus, and lower surface roughness, compared with that of the DLC film deposited bydeposited by conventional PECVD system.