Preparation of Q-carbon thin films using single-pulsed-carbon-ion irradiation

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K13908
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 14030:Applied plasma science-related
• Research Institution: Toyohashi University of Technology
• Principal Investigator: Toru Harigai 豊橋技術科学大学, 工学(系)研究科(研究院), 講師 (20757108)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: フィルタードパルスアークプラズマ / RFプラズマCVD / Qカーボン / アモルファスカーボン / 機能性薄膜

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Q-carbon is a ultrahard amorphous carbon with a high carbon sp3 ratio and ferromagnetic property. In this study, a plasma deposition method consisting of two different plasma sources is presented for the preparation of Q-carbon films. A filtered-pulsed-arc-plasma deposition apparatus was used for a carbon film deposition. A substrate stage was fabricated to apply a radio-frequency voltage. Amorphous carbon films with a high film density of 3.14 g/cm3 were obtained using the arc plasma deposition. RF hydrogen plasma was generated using the substrate stage as an electrode. These results show that it is possible to generate RF plasma in a pulsed arc plasma deposition apparatus. In the future, we will attempt to prepare Q-carbon thin films using a deposition system consisting of the two plasma sources.

Free Research Field

プラズマ工学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究期間内では，Qカーボン薄膜の合成には至っていないが，本研究を通じて得られた知見および開発装置は，今後のQカーボン薄膜合成の基礎となる。Qカーボンは，従来材料以上の高機能表面保護膜や，磁気抵抗ランダムアクセスメモリなどの次世代デバイス材料になり得る可能性を持っており，薄膜化によってQカーボン応用の劇的な進展が期待される。