The Role of Oxygen Atoms in sp2-sp3 Conversion on the Growing Surface of Carbon Film

A chemical interaction of oxygen atoms with a surface of sp2-hybridized carbon solids (graphite, soot and C6o) has been studied by XPS and X-ray-excited AES methods. The transition of carbon atoms from the sp2 state to the sp3-hybridized state has been observed. The measured concentration of the sp3-hybridized carbon atoms on the surface is in excess of the C—O bonds concentration. On the basis of these data, the following model of a carbon film growth is proposed: decay of double carbon bonds by oxygen atoms and formation of the sp3-hybridized C—-C and C—O bonds. It is suggested that the key role of oxygen atoms in the diamond films growth is sp2 → sp3 conversion C—C bonds on a surface under deposition by flame and CVD method.