Onion-like carbon film and its production

Abstract

An onion-like carbon thin film is provided which contains carbon as a main component, has a film thickness of at least 20 nm or more, and has clusters of an onion-like structure. Specifically, there is provided the onion-like carbon thin film satisfying the foregoing requirements, and in which (1) at least 20 or more clusters each having a diameter of 4 nm or more, and having an onion-like structure are contained per 0.001 μm2; or (2) the proportion of clusters each having an onion-like structure in a matrix is at least 50% by volume or more. The onion-like carbon thin film of the present invention is very useful in terms of availability in various industrial fields as a hard protective film or a solid lubricating film of the surface in various machine parts, electronic parts, and the like, or as a field electron emission material, or the like, an electronic part of a field emission display, or the like.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.