The surface properties of IC packaging molds such as anti-sticking, wear, and corrosion resistances can be improved by hard surface coating. In this study, Ti/TiN/TiCN/a-C:H thin film coatings were deposited on IC cavity bar molds in a hybrid PVD-ECR-CVD coating system. The structure of the a-C:H films was delineated by a function of bias voltages by Raman spectroscopy. Excellent adhesion and lower friction coefficients of a-C:H films were also assessed. According to the normal adhesion force measurement, a-C:H coating was superior to that of typical electroplated hard chromium (Ep-Cr). Performance evaluation showed that the a-C:H coating could increase the number of molding injections in IC package production lines by 216%. Crown Copyright (c) 2007 Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.