Synthesis and Characterization of Doped and Undoped Nano-Columnar DLC Coating

Amorphous carbon (a-c:h/a-c) or diamond-like carbon (dlc), has a very high potential diverse engineering and medical application for high wear resistance and tribological performance. naturally grown columnar dlc films were chemically modified by post-treatment via electron beam irradiation (eb-irradiation). precise observation and characterization is carried out by field emission scanning electron microscopy (fe-sem), atomic force microscopy (afm), and raman spectroscopy. this nano-columnar a-c:h film has a unique nano-structure and mechanical properties which composed of graphitic inter-columnar network with amorphous carbon columns. metallic doping into the inter- columns reflects positively on mechanical response by chemical modification with physical hardening.