DIRECT LASER WRITING OF MICROSTRUCTURES IN DIAMOND-LIKE CARBON FILMS

The formation of conductive lines into a dielectric diamond-like carbon film via the graphitization of an amorphous phase under the action of a scanning Ar+ laser beam is reported. The nucleation of small (≤ 30 Å) graphite crystallites, as evidenced by Raman spectroscopy, results in a resistivity drop from 10 8 Ωcm to 5x10 -2 Ωcm. MicroChannel have been etched in the film via carbon oxidation in air. The dependence of the etching rate on the laser power reveals two distinct regions assigned to different activation energies.