Structure of Diamond-Like Silicon–Carbon Films Alloyed by Vanadium

Resumo

The structure of diamond-like silicon–carbon films formed on silicon substrates by magnetron and plasmatron codeposition using a closed-field magnetron and a plasmatron activated by tungsten cathode has been studied by transmission electron microscopy. The main feature of the films alloyed by vanadium to concentrations of 12–31 at % was found to be a layered structure of the film cross section. It was established that vanadium alloying leads to the formation of vanadium carbide (VC) nanocrystals; the nanocrystal size increases from 1–2 to 10 nm. At the maximum vanadium content, VC nanocrystals have an anisotropic shape: they are extended in the direction perpendicular to the film–substrate interface.