Microstructure and nanohardness of copper-carbon coatings formed by the method of plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition

The correlation between the microstructure and nanohardness of amorphous copper-carbon hydrogenated (Cu/a-C:H) composites formed by the method of plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) in the mixture of reactive gases Ar-CH₄, Ar-C₂H₂ is researched. In the process of such research it was revealed that the nanoindentation increases practically in two times in the case of C₂H₂ gas. It is happened may be because of more content of carbon molecules and more quick pressing of growth of copper crystallites in amorphous carbon matrix in the case of C₂H₂ gas. Therefore the abrupt increase of nanoindentation from 2,5 to 5,0 GPa occur owing to grain boundary sliding. (authors)