Diamond-like carbon (DLC) thin films were produced by pulsed laser deposition (PLD) on silicon, fused silica, and silicon nitride substrates. The films produced were either undoped, made using a pure graphite target, or doped, using multi-component targets made from a combination of graphite and silicon, silicon nitride, titanium dioxide, or silicon monoxide. These films were evaluated for their potential use in biomedical applications, including coatings for artificial joints, heart stents, and bronchoscopes. The films were characterized by Raman spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, ball-on-flat tribometry, contact angle measurements, and spectrophotometry. Film thickness was determined by optical profilometry. Film adhesion was checked by soaking the films in simulated body fluid (SBF) and monitoring the quality of the film surface at varying time intervals using an optical microscope. DLC coatings were produced with a root mean square surface roughness of less than 1 nm and a 0.08 lubricated coefficient of friction. Contact angles of water on the undoped films varied with deposition conditions, ranging from 65 to 88 degrees. Contact angles as low as 25 degrees were achieved by incorporating silicon monoxide dopant. DLC coatings were produced on fused silica having high transparency and showing no delamination after forty-three weeks of immersion in SBF. These results indicate that these films have potential as biomedical coatings.

Diamond-like carbons (DLCs) display a number of attractive properties that make them versatile coating materials for a variety of applications, including extremely high hardness values, very low friction properties, very low gas permeability, good biocompatibility, and very high electrical resistivity, among others. Further research into this material is required to produce hydrogen-free DLC films and to synthesize it together with other materials, thereby obtaining better film properties. Diamond-Like Carbon Coatings: Technologies and Applications examines emerging manufacturing technologies for DLCs with the aim of improving their properties for use in practical applications. Discusses DLC coatings used in mechanical, manufacturing, and medical applications Details recent developments in the novel synthesis of DLC films Covers advances in understanding of chemical, structural, physical, mechanical, and tribological properties for modern material processing Highlights methods to yield longer service life Considers prospects for future applications of emerging DLC technologies This work is aimed at materials science and engineering researchers, advanced students, and industry professionals.

Diamond-like carbon coatings produced by Plasma Source Ion Implantation (PSII) and beamline Ion Beam Assisted Deposition (IBAD) were synthesized and studied. Gas pressure and electrical current were used as variables to design four independent PSII test sets. Beamline IBAD samples were produced with a pre-optimized set of parameters. Profilometry measurements showed the films to have thicknesses between 1.44 +/- 09 and 1.64 +/- 04 microns and to possess very low roughness averages, ranging from 14 +/- 3 to 28 +/- 3 nm, which correlate with substrate surface roughness. Atomic Force Microscopy revealed that diamond-like carbon crystal sizes varied significantly with chamber pressure. Crystals were generally spherical in shape suggesting that films were highly amorphous. Microhardness and nanohardness test results showed the hardest films to be greater than 3 times the hardness of untreated steel. The elastic modulus of the films, measured during the nanohardness test, was directly related to film hardness. Fretting wear and Pin-on-Disk tests were performed to quantitatively assess the ability of films to resist wear. Fretting wear tests showed a dramatic decrease in friction for diamond-like carbon films with friction levels ranging from 10% to 30% of that of untreated steel. Pin-on-Disk tests revealed a significant improvement in wear resistance prior to stylus penetration into the substrate.

Materials development has reached a point where it is difficult for a single material to satisfy the needs of sophisticated applications in the modern world. Nanocomposite films and coatings achieve much more than the simple addition of the constitutents OCo the law of summation fails to work in the nano-world. This book encompasses three major parts of the development of nanocomposite films and coatings: the first focuses on processing and properties, the second concentrates on mechanical performance, and the third deals with functional performance, including wide application areas ranging from mechanical cutting to solar energy and from electronics to medicine. Sample Chapter(s). Chapter 1: Magnetron Sputtered Hard and Yet Tough Nanocomposite Coatings With Case Studies: Nanocrystalline Tin Embedded in Amorphous SiNx (187 KB). Contents: Magnetron Sputtered Hard and Yet Tough Nanocomposite Coatings with Case Studies: Nanocrystalline TiN Embedded in Amorphous SiN x (S Zhang et al.); Magnetron Sputtered Hard and Yet Tough Nanocomposite Coatings with Case Studies: Nanocrystalline TiC Embedded in Amorphous Carbon (S Zhang et al.); Properties of Chemical Vapor Deposited Nanocrystalline Diamond and Nanodiamond/Amorphous Carbon Composite Films (S C Tjong); Synthesis, Characterization and Applications of Nanocrystalline Diamond Films (Z-Q Xu & A Kumar); Properties of Hard Nanocomposite Thin Films (J Musil); Nanostructured, Multifunctional Tribological Coatings (J J Moore et al.); Nanocomposite Thin Films for Solar Energy Conversion (Y-B Yin); Application of Silicon Nanocrystal in Non-Volatile Memory Devices (T P Chen); Nanocrystalline Silicon Films for Thin Film Transistor and Optoelectronic Applications (Y-J Choi et al.); Amorphous and Nanocomposite Diamond-Like Carbon Coatings for Biomedical Applications (T I T Okpalugo et al.); Nanocoatings for Orthopaedic and Dental Application (W-Q Yan). Readership: Undergraduates, postgraduates, researchers, scientists, college and university professors, research professionals, technology investors and developers, research enterprises, R&D research laboratories, academic and research libraries."

This book highlights some of the most important structural, chemical, mechanical and tribological characteristics of DLC films. It is particularly dedicated to the fundamental tribological issues that impact the performance and durability of these coatings. The book provides reliable and up-to-date information on available industrial DLC coatings and includes clear definitions and descriptions of various DLC films and their properties.

Diamond thin films are deposited on silicon wafers by MPECVD process with the presence of methane, argon, and hydrogen gases. The reaction chamber is designed with an internal microwave reaction cavity and a high-pressure pocket for improving deposition conditions. Scanning electron microscopy reveals tetrahedral and cauliflower-shaped crystals for polycrystalline diamond and nanocrystalline diamond films, respectively. Spectroscopy ellipsometer studies indicate that diamond-like carbon (DLC) films are deposited with a thickness of 700 nm. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy shows C-H stretching in the range from 2800 cm -1 to 3000 cm -1 . Nanoindentation is performed on DLC films with an average hardness of 10.98 GPa and an average elastic modulus of 90.32 GPa. The effects of chamber pressure, microwave forward power, and gas mixture on the plasma chemistry are discussed. Substrate temperature has a significant influence on film growth rate, and substrate pretreatment can enhance the quality of diamond films.