Surface electromechanical coupling on DLC film with conductive atomic force microscope

Diamond-like carbon (DLC) film composed of microscopically insulation but microscopically a mixture of conducting (sp2) and insulating (sp3) phases was discussed on the local modification with a conductive atomic force microscope (C-AFM). Especially, a topographic change was observed when a direct current (DC) bias-voltage was applied to the DLC film. Experimental results show that a nanoscale pit on DLC surface was formed when applying a positive 25 V on DLC film. According to the interacting force between CoCr-coated microelectric scanning probe (MESP) tip and DLC surface, as well as the Sondheimer oscillation theory, the 'scalewing effect' of the pit was explained. Electromechanical coupling on DLC film suggested that the depth of pits increased with an increase of load applied to surface when the cantilever-deflected signal was less than a certain threshold voltage. (authors)