F. Ghezzi(a), M. Sancrotti(a,b), and W.T.Shmayda(c). (a)Instituto di Fisica del Plasma, Associazione EURATOM/ENEA/CNR, I-20125 Milano, Italy (b)Laboratorio Nazionale TASC-INFM, Padriciano 99, I-34012 Trieste, Italy (c) Ontario Hydro, Research Division, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M8Z5S4.

We report the results of a study of the electronic structure of amorphous carbon deposited by a RF plasma. A novel cylindrical plasma configuration has been used to grow amorphous hydrogenated silicon and carbon films. Electrons within a low-pressure, two-temperature plasma are constrained to oscillate between two electrodes and ionize silane/hydrogen or methaane/hydrogen mixtures. The ions that form are near room temperature. They drift out of the trap region to deposit on a substrate located beyond the electrodes. The underlying strength of this configuration rests in the ability to control several plasma parameters independently: the flux, energy, and the ratio of the charged to neutral particles leaving the plasma, and the chemical species being deposited. Adjusting these parameters alters the density of the film being grown, its hydrogen content, and the film’s porosity and morphology. Films of thickness up to 10 m m have been grown on flat substrates and on cylindrical plastic microspheres. The electronic structure properties of this material has been studied via X-ray Photoemission Spectroscopy (XPS) and C 1s core level electron energy loss spectroscopy thus monitoring both the occupied and unoccupied electron states. Special emphasis is given to the sp²-sp³ concentration ratio.