In this work, we investigated electronic and structural properties of xenon (Xe) atoms implanted into amorphous carbon (a-C) matrix prepared by ion-beam-assisted deposition (IBAD) as a function of stress. X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) indicates the formation of xenon clusters in the solid carbon matrix induced by the network stress. This biaxial pressure shifts the core level energy of xenon atoms. The results demonstrate the capability of using highly stressed diamond-like carbon network as a cell for trapping noble gases, allowing the investigation of phenomenon involving clusters of noble gases. (C) 2004 Published by Elsevier B.V.