A NOVEL TECHNIQUE FOR DIAMOND FILM DEPOSITION USING SURFACE-WAVE DISCHARGES

Surface-wave-sustained discharges are utilized in a non-conventional c onfiguration to yield plasma with a hemispherical shape for diamond fi lm deposition at gas pressures in the range 1-60 Torr. Compared with m icrowave-sustained plasma balls in ''bell jar'' reactors, microwave po wer absorption is more efficient: no power is left that would heat the substrate and, for given power to the reactor and gas conditions, hig her power densities are obtained in the plasma. The roughness of the d eposit decreases with increasing power density. Deposition rate on 4 c m(2) is typically 350 mu g cm(-2) h(-1).