Investigation of PVD-DLC Thin Films Manufactured Using HIPIMS Etch / Unbalanced Magnetron Sputter (UBM) Deposition and Secondary Mechano-Chemical Modification

PVD diamond-like-carbon (DLC) coatings are finding increas-ing industrial acceptance in automotive, aerospace and medi-cal applications due to their reduced friction and low wear coefficient. Very recently, High Power Impulse Magnetron Sputter (HIPIMS) sources have been shown to produce fluxes with very high metal ion fractions similar to those produced by arc evaporation sources, without showing excessive heat-ing and droplet formation characteristics. These new source properties now enable industrial-scale low temperature operation, low roughness and high efficiency etching of the substrate prior to deposition to deliver enhanced adhesion. In this paper, we report on the properties and performance of HIPIMS-etched titanium-containing DLC (Me-DLC) and metal-free (graphite-based) C-DLC films deposited at tem-peratures below 160°C. Keywords: Diamond-like carbon, high-power impulse magnetron sputtering, mechano-chemical surface modification