Post Deposition Treatments and Stability of Diamond-Like Films

The effects that energy deposition by ions, electrons and photons have on the structure and properties of Diamond-Like Carbon (amorphous hydrogenated carbon) films are reviewed. In all cases the treated films turn electrically conductive and optically opaque; nevertheless it is shown that different physical processes are responsible for the observed changes for the different modes of energy deposition. Results obtained by a variety of experimental techniques which probe the structural and compositional changes are described. Models which fit the experimental data on hydrogen loss and on changes in electrical and optical properties as a result of ion irradiation are proposed.