Ultrananocrystalline diamond‐like carbon (UN‐DLC) assembled on epitaxial ZnO film by PLD technique and SIMS Raman Rutherford spectroscopic fingerprint investigation. (16th August 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Elayaperumal, Manikandan; Gnanasekaran, Kavitha; Moodley, Mathew K.; Mwakikunga, Bonex Wakufwa; Gaur, Ravinder; Umapathy, Siva; Ladchumananandasivam, Rasiah; Maaza, Malik
• Is Part Of: Journal of Raman spectroscopy. Volume 52:Number 11(2021)
• Page Start: 1838
• Page End: 1846
• Publication Date: 2021-08-16
• Subjects: carbon -- laser -- Raman -- SIMS spectroscopy -- ZnO; Raman spectroscopy -- Periodicals; 535.846
• DOI: 10.1002/jrs.6216
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0377-0486

Abstract

Abstract: Nanocomposite materials coating opens up tremendous opportunities in the development of commercial products for household to industrial applications. In this present article, we are reporting the formation of 10‐nm carbon (C) layer underneath the 6‐nm ZnO epitaxial thin‐film grown on simple quarts or Si(100) substrate by pulsed laser deposition. As‐obtained nanocrystalline carbon layers between the Si(100) and ZnO and above ZnO epitaxial film were studied by micro‐Raman, secondary ion mass (SIMS), and resonant Rutherford backscattering (RRBS) spectroscopic methods. The carbon diffusivity analysis revealed that the diffusion at nanoscale is governed predominantly by a nonlinear Fick's law rather than the Soret‐Ludwig law. Quantum diffusion dominates the classical diffusion and carbon diffusivity into ZnO layer and was found to be ~7.8 × 10 −12 cm 2 s −1 . This diffusion explains the doping profiles of ZnO layer up to its surface where carbon packing suggests presence of ultrananocrystalline‐diamond‐like‐carbon (UN‐DLC) thin films revealed by Raman spectroscopy. Abstract : Raman spectroscopy (RS) is capable of detecting ultra nanocrystalline DLC thin film over ZnO. Information from Raman spectroscopy characterizes carbon ancestor and ZnO vibrational frequencies investigated by fingerprint mode. We used non‐destructive technique (NDT) atomic‐nuclear assay investigation by Optical (PL, RS), Structural (GIXRD, FE‐SEM, HR‐TEM+SAED), and Depth profile and compositional by SIMS, resonant RBS techniques.