Some initial results on modification of aC:H films by UV-C irradiation

Abstract In the present work, we present the results of processing of aC:H thin films (deposited on Si (001) substrates covered with 330 nm thin film of SiO 2 ) with UV-C irradiation from mercury UV-C lamp (λ = 254 nm, power of 38 W). The UV-C treatment time of the different samples was 2.5, 5, 10, 15, 30, 45, 60, 90, 120, 180 or 360 minutes respectively, and the samples were irradiated in an air atmosphere. The obtained films were characterized by Raman spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). A gradual decrease of oxygencontaining radicals and the fraction of sp 3 hybridized carbon was found with increasing the UV-C irradiation time up to 90 min, after which a reverse process of increasing these phases in aC:H films was observed.