Wear resistant fluorinated diamondlike carbon films

Abstract

Fluorine-containing amorphous hydrogenated diamondlike carbon films have been prepared by DC plasma-assisted CVD from pure difluorobenzene or hexafluorobenzene with various dilutions. The films deposited from difluorobenzene contained less than 10% fluorine and had wear resistance similar to that of nonfluorinated diamondlike carbon. The films deposited from pure hexafluorobenzene contained 45% fluorine, were very soft, and had no wear resistance. Argon dilution of the precursor had no effect on the wear resistance of the films. However, films deposited from hexafluorobenzene diluted with hydrogen had reduced fluorine concentration and a wear resistance which increased with increasing hydrogen dilution. At sufficient dilution, films containing 18% fluorine, having wear resistance similar to that of diamondlike carbon were obtained.