Diamond thin film grown homoepitaxially on diamond (001) substrate by microwave plasma CVD method studied by reflection high-energy electron diffraction and atomic force microscopy

A diamond thin film surface produced homoepitaxially on C(001) substrate by microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition (CVD) has been studied using re flection high-energy electron diffraction (RHEED) and atomic force microsco py (AFM). The RHEED patterns showed C(001)2 x 1/1 x 2 double-domain structu re. Wide RHEED patterns with many Kikuchi patterns qualitatively show the h igh crystallinity of the diamond thin film. The AFM images taken from the s ame sample with atomic-scale resolution in air showed mostly (001) surface; 2 x I but locally 1 x 1 structure, which is in agreement with the RHEED me asurement, although (111) surface was observed rarely. The (111) plane obse rved rarely was tilted by 15.7 degrees from the (001) substrate, which can be explained by the twinning structure in the thin film. The local 2 x 1 st ructure on the (111) plane appears by scanning with the AFM tip; tip-induce d surface reconstruction. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserve d.