ACTIVATION-ENERGY FOR DIAMOND GROWTH FROM THE CARBON-HYDROGEN GAS SYSTEM AT LOW SUBSTRATE TEMPERATURES

The growth kinetics of diamond films deposited at low substrate temper atures (600-400 degrees C) from the carbon-hydrogen gas system have be en studied. When the substrate temperature alone was varied, independe ntly of all other process parameters in the microwave plasma reactor, an activation energy:in the order of 7 kcal/mol was observed. This val ue did not change with different carbon concentrations in hydrogen. It is supposed that growth kinetics in this temperature range are contro lled by a single chemical reaction, probably the abstraction of surfac e bonded hydrogen by gas phase atomic hydrogen. (C) 1997 American Inst itute of Physics.