A comparative study of fluorinated amorphous carbon films synthesized by pulsed vacuum arc plasma deposition and by PECVD

Summary form only given. Fluorinated amorphous carbon films have received a considerable amount of attention recently due to their chemical inertness, water-proofing, low surface energy, anti-adherence of bacteria and biocompatibility. To explore the application in biomedical devices like electrosurgical tools, fluorinated amorphous carbon films with different fluorine content were fabricated on a silicon wafer by pulsed vacuum arc plasma deposition and by PECVD. Film composition and structure were characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Raman scattering spectroscopy (Raman). Surface morphology and roughness were analyzed by atomic force microscopy (AFM). Hardness and scratch resistance were measured by nano-indentation and nano-scratching, respectively. Water contact angles were measured by the sessile drop method.