Application of diamond-like carbon film to phase-change optical recording discs

The recent development of new optical recording media is oriented toward high-density optical systems, in which data storage protection becomes very critical. Amorphous carbon films deposited by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition are very smooth and possess high mass density, low friction coefficient, and very large values of hardness and elastic modulus. In this study, diamond-like carbon (DLC) film coatings on phase-change recording media are characterized using an atomic force microscope (AFM), UV-visible spectrometer and disc testers. The influence of mechanical, optical and structural properties of DLC films on the surface and spectral properties and electrical signals of discs with various DLC film thicknesses are investigated. The results of our studies indicate that DLC films indeed provide a suitable coating for protecting data stored on phase-change optical discs.