AMORPHOUS HYDROGENATED DIAMONDLIKE CARBON DIELECTRIC FILMS.

Hard, semitransparent amorphous hydrogenated carbon films have been under investigation as possible dielectric materials in high frequency solid state electronics, as well as for optical coatings and coatings for computer disks. These films are called 'Diamondlike' by some authors, and can be prepared by several techniques including plasma and ion beam deposition. The properties of these films depend on deposition parameters, and are related to the concentration of hydrogen in the film, as well as to the energy and fluence of energetic species present during deposition. This paper is a review of recent progress in the preparation, characterization, and application of these materials. New results of optical, interfacial (with InP), and combined proton recoil/Rutherford backscattering/ellipsometric studies are presented. Results of Mil Spec testing of film adherence and integrity under extremes of temperature, moisture, and chemical environment are reported.