Vibratory response of diamond-like amorphous carbon cantilevers under different temperatures

Diamond-like amorphous carbon films were deposited using filtered cathodic vacuum arc (FCVA) with the plasma ion immersion implantation (PIII) system. A unique multilayer film, comprising of alternating high-sp³ content (90%), high-stress (9 GPa) films, low-sp³ content (50%), and low-stress films (<0.5 GPa), was fabricated. By alternating these layers, a 1.5-μm-thick film was subsequently deposited. Free-standing microcantilevers measuring 150×50 μm had been subsequently fabricated by using standard lithography and wet etching. The resonance frequency of the microcantilevers was measured by a vacuum laser vibrometer system to be 109.5 kHz. After gradual heating to 240 °C, the resonance frequency was observed to increase to a high of 111.5 kHz.