Electron paramagnetic resonance imaging of the distribution of the single substitutional nitrogen impurity through polycrystalline diamond samples grown by chemical vapor deposition

The distribution of the single substitutional nitrogen impurity (N-S(0)) through the thickness of diamond films grown by chemical vapor deposition has been studied using Electron Paramagnetic Resonance imaging. The design of an Electron Paramagnetic Resonance imaging probe is described. With this probe we have measured mean bulk concentrations down to a few parts per billion carbon atoms or equivalently similar to 10(14) cm(-3) in diamond samples with dimensions 4.5x10x0.5 mm and achieved a through film spatial resolution of the N-S(0) distribution of 20 mu m. (C) 1997 American Institute of Physics.