PLASMA-ASSISTED CONVERSION OF CARBON-FIBERS TO DIAMOND

Pitch based carbon fibers have been converted to diamond through expos ure to a pure hydrogen microwave plasma. The conversion depends strong ly on the process pressure. At low pressure only part of the surface o f the fiber was converted to diamond, however under optimum conditions a thick continuous diamond layer could be obtained. The carbon conver sion efficiency to form diamond at the high pressure was at least an o rder of magnitude higher than is obtained in a regular CH4+H-2 plasma assisted diamond deposition. (C) 1995 American Institute of Physics.