Fabrication and Characterization of Germanium-Carbon Protective Coating

The purpose of the current study is fabrication of germanium-carbon protective coating by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) using germane (GeH4) and methane (CH4) gases precursors, and then is its characterization. To this end, field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) equipped with energy dispersive spectroscope (EDS), X-ray diffractometer (XRD), fourier transform infrared spectrophotometer (FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectrometer (XPS), laserinduced breakdown spectrometer (LIBS), nanoindentation test and adhesion test was used. Based on the structural evaluation, binding of germanium atoms with carbon atoms and the existence of a germanium carbon matrix in the coating was demonstrated. Also, the results indicated the formation of amorphous germanium-carbon coating as a homogeneous and dense layer free of pores and discontinuities with a very good adhesion to subst rate. Hardness and elastic modulus of germanium-carbon coating was obtained about 7.1 and 95.1 GPa, respectively.