Electrodeposition diamond-like carbon films from organic liquids

Diamond-like carbon films were deposited on ITO-coated glass substrates in acetonitrile, N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF): methanol, and ethanol liquids by the liquid-phase electrodeposition technique. The films were characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy. The film morphology was observed by scanning electron microscopy. The analysis of Raman spectra suggests that the structures of the deposited diamond-like carbon films depend on the nature of the depositing liquids. The films deposited from the liquids with higher dipole moment and dielectric constant (epsilon) contain more sp(3)-C and are more diamond-like. From DMF liquid, diamond films were formed in some areas by this method. This indicated that diamond films can be prepared by electrochemical deposition method at near room temperature. (C) 2000 Published by Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.