THE EFFECT OF ULTRASONIC VIBRATION ON CVD DIAMOND NUCLEATION

Nucleation and subsequent growth of chemical vapor deposition (CVD) di amond particles on silicon substrates under ultrasonic vibration have been investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and Raman spectroscopy. The diamond nucleation densit y with the ultrasonic vibration was higher than without vibration. AFM observations showed that, in the initial phase, growth on vibrated su bstrates leads to rougher surface than conventional growth. At lower s ubstrate temperature diamond particles could only be grown under ultra sonic vibration. Raman spectra revealed that the quality of diamonds g rown on vibrated substrates at low substrate temperature is comparable to that of diamonds produced at normal conditions. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science S.A.