A scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy analysis of the substrate-to-thin-film-surface cross-section of thin carbon films deposited on curved Ti6Al4V substrates with and without silicon adhesion layers

Abstract Thin-film carbon is deposited onto curved Ti6Al4V substrates with and without silicon interlayers through the use of an economical plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition process. Through the use of scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, visualizations of the substrate-to-thin-film-carbon-surface cross-sections are acquired. Basic adhesion tests on the resultant thin-film/substrate systems are performed. It is shown that a silicon interlayer dramatically enhances the adhesion of thin-film carbon onto the underlying substrate. A means of characterizing the EDX signal transitions, between the various regions in these cross-sections, is devised and employed in the analysis of these thin-film/substrate systems.