SURFACE VACANCIES IN CVD DIAMOND

Investigation of unpolished, high-quality chemical vapour deposition d iamond films has revealed a significant concentration of vacancies wit hin a few microns of the surface, but not in the bulk. Modelling of th e growth, diffusion and trapping of vacancies shows that this arises f rom the growth of vacancies into the surface of the diamond and their subsequent migration and trapping as growth proceeds. Because the temp erature at which the vacancies migrate is comparable with that of diam ond growth, a unique situation arises: the lattice defects created dur ing growth persist in the crystals. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science S.A.