CONTROL OF DIAMOND HETEROEPITAXY ON NICKEL BY OPTICAL REFLECTANCE

Real time in situ laser reflectometry was used to investigate changes in surface morphology observed during the nucleation of oriented diamo nd on Ni in a hot filament chemical vapor deposition reactor. Characte ristic features observed in the intensities of reflected and scattered light were interpreted by comparison with scanning electron micrograp hs of the diamond seeded substrates quenched at sequential stages of t he process. Based on this analysis, a process was developed in which t he scattered light signal was used as a steering parameter. Using this process, oriented nucleation and growth of diamond on Ni can be repea tedly achieved. (C) 1997 American Institute of Physics.