EFFECTS OF SUBSTRATE MATERIAL ON DIAMOND GROWTH FROM CO-H2 PLASMA

Diamond synthesis from CO-H2 plasma has been carried out on various substrate materials, e.g. metals: nickel, cobalt, tungsten, molybdenum, copper and ceramics: SiC, SiO2, Al2O3, ZrO2, AlN. Diamond formation was confirmed on every substrate with the exception of cobalt and nickel. The highest density of diamond nucleation, over 10(8) cm-2, was obtained on amorphous SiO2, the carbide-forming metals tungsten and molybdenum and on SiC; on these the nucleation density was one order of magnitude higher than on the other substrates. Diamond films prepared on tungsten, molybdenum and SiC substrates had a strong adhesion force: 1.3 to 1.5 kg mm-2.