Electrical properties of textured carbon film formed by pulsed laser annealing

• Published in: Diamond and related materials 2012-03, Vol.23, p.135-139
• Main Authors: Xu, Naiyun, Teo, Hang Tong Edwin, Shakerzadeh, Maziar, Wang, Xincai, Ng, Chee Mang, Tay, Beng Kang
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Amorphous carbon; Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties; Electrical conductivity; Electrical properties of specific thin films; Electronic structure and electrical properties of surfaces, interfaces, thin films and low-dimensional structures; Electronic transport phenomena in thin films and low-dimensional structures; Exact sciences and technology; Graphite; Laser annealing; Physical radiation effects, radiation damage; Physics; Structure and morphology; thickness; Structure of solids and liquids; crystallography; Surfaces and interfaces; thin films and whiskers (structure and nonelectronic properties); Thin film structure and morphology
• ISSN: 0925-9635; 1879-0062
• DOI: 10.1016/j.diamond.2012.01.016

Previous works have showed that textured carbon film can be fabricated by applying suitable ion energy and substrate temperature. In this experiment, the effect of laser annealing on amorphous carbon films was studied. Atomic force microscopy shows the effect of laser irradiation on surface morphology of carbon film, and visible Raman spectroscopy shows that the G peak position shifted from 1540cm−1 to 1600cm−1, and the increase in I(D)/I(G) intensity ratio indicates the formation of more graphitic film at higher laser energy. High resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) shows the vertical alignment formation at suitable laser energy. Electrical measurement shows that the vertical aligned carbon films exhibit low resistance, ohmic current–voltage characteristics, which suggests that vertical aligned films formed by laser irradiation may be promising material for future nano-device interconnects. ► We fabricate textured carbon (a-C) film using KrF excimer laser annealing method. ► We study its microstructure using visible Raman and transmission electron microscopy. ► Suitable laser energy density will induce the texture structure in a-C film. ► The presence of texture structure will increase the electrical conductivity of the film.