Hydrogen-radical-assisted radio-frequency plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition system for diamond formation

Diamond was successfully synthesized using an improved radio-frequency (rf) plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition system. In this system, conventional capacitively coupled parallel-plate rf (13.56 MHz) discharge plasma was assisted by a compact microwave (2.45 GHz) H-2 plasma as a remote hydrogen radical source, and substrate heating was carried out using CO2 laser irradiation. Plasma control in rf discharge region for diamond formation was performed using the hydrogen radical source in this system. This was discussed with optical emission spectroscopy. The hydrogen radical source was improved. When water vapor was mixed to the microwave H-2 plasma, namely, using water-vapor-enhanced hydrogen radical source, diamond films were grown at a low substrate temperature of 450 degrees C. (C) 1996 American Institute of Physics.