Microwave plasma-assisted chemical vapor deposition has been employed
to grow diamond films (thickness up to 50 mu m) using a gas mixture of
hydrogen (H-2), methane (CH4), and oxygen (O-2) on various substrates
such as Ni 200, MONEL 400, INCONEL 600, INVAR, single crystal nickel
with orientations of (100), (111), (110), etc. Nucleation of diamond o
n the substrates has been achieved by seeding with diamond particles,
manual scratching, and ultrasonic agitation in methanol (CH,OH) contai
ning diamond particles. The substrate underwent H-2 microwave plasma t
reatment for 5-60 min to remove any oxide film present prior to 2 diam
ond growth. Growth of diamond over MONEL 400 was achieved at various C
H4 concentrations in H-2. As-deposited films were analyzed by scanning
electron microscopy (SEM), Raman spectroscopy, secondary ion mass spe
ctroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Auger electron spectro
scopy. According to SEM the morphology of the grown films was (100) te
xture over the entire surface (<0.5 cm(2)) of Ni 200 substrate. Raman
analysis of the top side of deposited film confirms for diamond and on
the back side of the free-standing film shows the characteristic peak
s for diamond and graphite. As-deposited films were diamond and other
forms of non-diamond carbon on INCONEL 600 and on INVAR.