Two-step growth of high quality diamond films

Diamond films with high quality were successfully deposited using a novel g rowth method-two-step growth technique-in hot filament chemical vapor depos ition (CVD) chamber. The characterization of diamond films were investigate d by scanning electron microscopy and Raman scattering, which show noticeab le improvement in quality of diamond films. The high surface resistivity of diamond films was also investigated. It suggests that the decreasing of ac tivated carbon concentration near the substrate surface and the increasing of secondary nucleation density of diamond are responsible for the well-beh aved diamond film growth. In addition, the thermal stability of the diamond layer surface is also beneficial to the growth of the diamond film. (C) 20 00 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.