In situ observation of atomic hydrogen etching on diamond-like carbon films produced by pulsed laser deposition

Atomic hydrogen etching on the pulsed laser deposited (PLD) diamond-like carbon (DLC) films were examined in situ by using Raman spectroscopy. Thermal annealing of the as-prepared DLC films was found to alter the D-band (∼1355 cm−1) and G-band (∼1582 cm−1) from unresolved features at room temperature to clearly separated bands at above 500°C, indicating graphitization of the films. The presence of atomic hydrogen retards graphitization at temperatures lower than 500°C, presumably because reactive atomic hydrogen formed sp3-bonding carbons which prevented graphitization at below 500°C, while at above 500°C, the hydrogen etches away disordered structure of the DLC film as the intensity changes of the D-bands demonstrate.