Raman spectra of ion beam sputtered amorphous carbon thin films deposited from camphoric carbon

Abstract Thin films of carbon were deposited on single crystal silicon and quartz substrates by simple ion beam sputtering of camphoric carbon target, obtained from camphor: a natural source, at room temperature. The as-deposited films were heat treated at different temperatures and the effects of heat treatment on structural modifications were studied in detail by Raman spectroscopy through the evolution of D and G bands. The spectral evolution observed on heat treated samples show progressive formation of crystallites. These structural changes were further correlated with optical gap and fraction of sp3 bonded carbons present, derived respectively from uv–visible and photoelectron spectroscopies, and the results obtained are discussed and compared with the literature.