Preparation and microstructure properties of tetrahedral amorphous carbon films by pulsed laser deposition using camphoric carbon target

The properties of tetrahedral amorphous carbon (ta-C) films grown by pulsed laser deposition (PLD) using camphoric carbon (CC) target and their respective effects of diamond percentages by weight in the target (Dwt.%) are discussed. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), Visible-Raman spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analyses indicated that the Dwt.% noticeably modified the sp³ bonds content and the morphology of the ta-C films. The optical gap (E_g) and electrical resistivity (ρ) increase with Dwt.% up to 1.6 eV and 5.63×10⁷ (Ω cm), respectively, for the ta-C films deposited using target with higher of 50 Dwt.%. We found that the Dwt.% has modified the surface morphological, structural, bonding and physical properties of the camphoric carbon films.