Patent ID: 6669996
Filing Date: 2003-12-30
Classification: C23C

Abstract:
A method of controlling the formation of a nanostructured metal doped carbon film comprising a diamond-like sp3 carbon structure containing nanometer sized metal clusters embedded in an amorphous carbon matrix by electron cyclotron resonance chemical vapor deposition, comprising the steps of:placing a substrate in a chamber; maintaining said substrate temperature at a selected temperature; introducing a ruthenium compound in said chamber near a plasma discharge as a precursor gas; heating and vaporizing said precursor gas to increase the vapor pressure to maintain at least a minimum selected flow rate near the substrate by applying an electron cyclotron resonance to said chamber; generating, applying, and maintaining a selected pressure; generating and applying a RF bias of less than âˆ’200 volts; producing a ruthenium doped film containing diamond-like metal nanocrystallite clusters within an amorphous carbon matrix having a mean grain size averaging 5 nm in diameter based on measurements on 50-100 grains.