Three-dimensional simulation of a HFCVD reactor

A three-dimensional (3D) model of a hot-filament CVD reactor is developed to study the gas-phase and surface processes of diamond growth. The gas-phase and surface reaction mechanisms, the molecular diffusion and thermodiffusion, catalytic hydrogen dissociation at the filament and surface kinetics at the substrate are taken into account in transport equations that are numerically solved. The model has been checked using experimental measurements of absolute methyl and atomic hydrogen concentration. An importance of 3D effects for the species concentration and gas temperature distribution is revealed. The filament and substrate temperature dependence of species concentrations are calculated and compared with experimental data. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science S.A.