LARGE-AREA DIAMOND NUCLEATION ON SI(001) USING MAGNETOACTIVE MICROWAVE PLASMA CVD

Uniform diamond nucleation was succeeded on Si(001) substrate over a l arge area (3 cm X 4 cm) by magnetoactive microwave plasma CVD. CH4/He gas mixture was used as source gas in order to obtain high radical den sity in the nucleation step. The effect or substrate bias voltage on t he nucleation was examined. The results show that a suitable positive bias voltage applied to the substrate can enhance diamond nucleation w hile negative bias voltages lead to the deposition of only non-diamond phase carbon. The CH3 radical density was measured using infrared las er absorption spectroscopy in order to investigate the effect of radic al species on the nucleation. The results are discussed in relation to the important factors on the bias-enhanced diamond nucleation.