ULTRAHIGH NUCLEATION DENSITY FOR GROWTH OF SMOOTH DIAMOND FILMS

An ultrahigh density seeding process of diamond thin-film deposition is demonstrated. Diamond powders with average grain sizes of 0.038 and 0.101 μm were used to study the surface roughness as a function of deposition time, film thickness, and nucleation density. The diamond films, prepared by hot filament chemical vapor deposition, were characterized by atomic force microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and Raman spectroscopy. An extremely high nucleation density on the order of 1011 cm-2 was achieved by coating 0.038 μm diamond powder on the surface of the Si substrate. One micron thick films were obtained with the mean surface roughness of 30 nm. © 1995 American Institute of Physics.