DEPOSITION OF THICK DIAMOND FILMS BY PULSED DC GLOW-DISCHARGE CVD

Polycrystalline diamond films were deposited on molybdenum substrates by pulsed d.c. glow discharge chemical vapour deposition. A stable dis charge with a methane in hydrogen mixture (0.5-7 vol.%) was maintained by the plasma generator over a wide range of power density (1-7 A cm( -2)). Deposition areas from 0.4 to 3 cm(2) were used and growth rates of more than 40 mu m h(-1) were achieved. The well-faceted diamond lay ers were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray di ffraction (XRD), micro-Raman and Fourier transform IR (FTIR) spectrosc opy.