ABSTRACT
A comparative study of carbon based films deposited by carbon arc, laser initiated carbon arc and laser ablation techniques is reported. Films deposited by conventional carbon arc and laser ablation belong to the tetrahedral amorphous carbon (ta-C) category. Those films prepared by a modified carbon arc and laser arc methods consist of a composite ta-C matrix with fullerenelike nanoparticles. These films are hard (45–55 GPa plastic hardness) and elastic (80–85% elastic recovery). Most of the nanoparticles are in the form of deformed or fragmented nanotubes and onions. PEELS and HREM analysis suggest that linking of neighbouring nanoparticles may be important in the observed mechanical properties.
