Low-pressure microwave plasma nucleation and deposition of diamond films

Low-pressure microwave plasma nucleation and deposition of diamond films were investigated in the pressure range 10-mtorr to 10 torr, at substrate temperatures 400-750 C and with CH4 and O2 concentrations in H2 plasma of 2-15 percent and 2-10 percent, respectively. The experiments were performed in a microwave plasma system consisting of a microwave plasma chamber, a downstream deposition chamber, and an RF induction heated sample stage. Scanning electron microscopy of diamond films deposited at 600 C with 5 percent CH4 and 5 percent O2 in H2 plasmas showed high-quality well faceted crystallites of 1/2 micron size. Cathodoluminescence measurements of these films showed very few nitrogen impurities and no detectable silicon impurities.