Abstract: Fullerene like hydrogenated carbon ( FL-C∶ H ) thin films were deposited on the surface of monocrystalline silicon substrate by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition using methane as the precursors. The structure and morphology of the thin films were characterized by high resolution transmission electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy. The machanical and tribological properties were investigated by nano-indentation and friction and wear testing machine in the case of different methane flow rate. The experimental results show that the thin films can be described as fullerene-like nanostructures. It is also found that increasing CH4 flow rate causes the decrease of fullerene-like nanostructures, elastic modulus and hardness. But the friction coefficient is not sensitive to the change of methane flow rate.

Key words: Fullerene like hydrogenated carbon ( FL-C∶ H ) thin films were deposited on the surface of monocrystalline silicon substrate by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition using methane as the precursors. The structure and morphology of the thin films were characterized by high resolution transmission electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy. The machanical and tribological properties were investigated by nano-indentation and friction and wear testing machine in the case of different methane flow rate. The experimental results show that the thin films can be described as fullerene-like nanostructures. It is also found that increasing CH4 flow rate causes the decrease of fullerene-like nanostructures, elastic modulus and hardness. But the friction coefficient is not sensitive to the change of methane flow rate.