Characterization and growth of carbon phases synthesized by high temperature carbon ion implantation into copper

In the early 1990s, a new process using high dose carbon-ion implantation into hot copper substrates was proposed to synthesize heteroepitaxial diamond thin films onto copper. In order to determine the parameter that controls diamond formation, we have performed the same kind of experiments, varying systematically implantation parameters. Whatever the experimental conditions are, we have characterized a uniform (0001)-oriented graphite layer and carbon onions onto the implanted copper substrate but never diamond. We propose a growth mechanism for the different carbon phases based on copper preferential sputtering, carbon diffusion and discharge phenomena. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science S.A.