We have deposited diamond-like carbon (DLC) films on Cu/PYREX glass and SiO2/Si substrates using RF magnetron sputtering techniques. Investigation was made on the structural and chemical bonding properties and on the thermal stability of the deposited films. The films were characterized by visible (514 nm) Raman spectroscopy and photoelectron spectroscopy using synchrotron radiation light. It has been found that the films deposited under typical sputtering conditions are amorphous carbon (a-C) with 62% sp2 (graphite-like) and 38% sp3 (diamond-like) bonds. Ordering of a-C has been observed with an increase in substrate temperature during deposition and after annealing, although the sp3/sp2 ratio in films does not change even up to 900oC. No conversion observed between sp3 and sp2 bonds indicates that the DLC films deposited by RF magnetron sputtering have higher thermal stabilities.
