A STUDY ON SURFACE MORPHOLOGIES OF DIAMOND FILMS

The surface morphologies of polycrystalline diamond films deposited by the chemical vapor deposition (CVD) technique usually exhibit regular changes with increasing substrate temperature from ball-like amorphou s carbon-hydrogen to polycrystalline diamond with predominant facets { 100}, followed by {111} facet formation with finally, formation of mic rocrystalline graphite-rich deposits. We have calculated the temperatu re dependence of surface energies of the chemical vapor deposited diam ond crystals during the preparation process using a model in which a f raction of carbon dangling bonds on the growth surface is saturated by hydrogen. The results can be used to interpret the regular changes of the surface morphologies of CVD diamond films.