Structure modification of carbon films by ion irradiation

The results of the structural investigation of amorphous carbon films are presented. The amorphous carbon films are produced by sputtering of graphite target and irradiation of the substrate and growing films with slow Ar+ ions (E=0-200 eV). Variations in the ion energy result in the formation of different amorphous carbon states, characterized by different order in the atomic arrangement. Such amorphous carbon states possess different thermal stability, and can be annealed to different crystalline states