Diagnostics of the diamond depositing inductively coupled plasma by electrostatic probes and optical emission spectroscopy

Electrostatic probe methods and optical emission spectroscopy have been use d for diagnostics of the low-pressure inductively coupled radio frequency p lasma at pressures between 5 and 80 mTorr under real environments of diamon d deposition. The single, triple, and emissive probe methods were used alon e or combined to obtain electron temperature (T-e) and electron density (n( e)). The single or triple probe method combined with the emissive probe met hod allowed the determination of n(e) with high reliability as confirmed by cross-checking. Comparison with the grown deposits suggested the existence of a critical n(e) value of around 2 X 10(10) cm(-3), which was responsibl e fur the drastic decrease in diamond growth rate observed below 10 mTorr a nd the resulting no growth at around 5 mTorr. The energy distribution of ex citation levels of the H atom Balmer series was almost constant and the dis tribution equilibrium was not established except the case of 5 mTorr, which was ascribed to the difference in the excitation process of H atoms. (C) 1 999 American Vacuum Society. [S0734-2101(99)05101-5].