DISSOCIATION KINETICS OF MOLECULAR-HYDROGEN IN A MICROWAVE PLASMA ANDITS INFLUENCE ON THE HYDROGEN CONTENT IN DIAMOND FILMS

Double probe measurements were performed in a microwave plasma at vari ous hydrogen pressures. Electron temperature increases with the growth pressure. Electron density is determined to be 5.6, 7.2 and 8 x 10(11 ) cm(-3) within 20% accuracy, at 20, 40 and 70 Torr, respectively. The dissociation rate of hydrogen increases with pressure. Elastic recoil detection analysis was used to measure the relative H concentration i n the films. The stress in the films changes systematically as the H c ontent increases. We find that as 1 h H atom concentration in the plas ma increases, the concentration of H in the films goes down. Copyright (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd