Characteristics of Carbide Interfacial Layer Formed During Deposition of DLC Films on 316L Stainless Steel Substrate

The paper presents the analysis of formation of interfacial layer during deposition of diamond like carbon film (DLC) on the 316L stainless steel by capacitive plasma discharge in the CH₄ atmosphere. The structure of the interfacial layer of DLC film was strongly affected by the temperature increase during the initial stages of the process. Initially, thin interfacial layer of 5 nm has been formed. As the temperature had reached 210°C, the second phase of the process was marked by the onset of carbon atoms diffusion into the steel and by the interface thickness increase. Finally, the growth of chromium carbide interface, the upward diffusion of chromium and nickel atoms to film, the etching and the decrease of the DLC film thickness were observed at 233°C. These investigations were carried out ex-situ by spectroscopic ellipsometry, X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy.