EPITAXIAL NUCLEATION OF DIAMOND ON BETA-SIC VIA BIAS-ENHANCED MICROWAVE PLASMA CHEMICAL-VAPOR-DEPOSITION

Diamond has been successfully nucleated on mirror finish single-crystal beta-SiC films via bias-enhanced microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition. Initial scanning electron microscopy indicated that approximately 50% of the diamond grains were oriented relative to the SiC substrate. Further, high resolution cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and electron diffraction confirmed that the diamond was in epitaxial alignment with the silicon carbide, with the D(100)//SiC (100) and D[110]//SiC[110]. The high resolution TEM also revealed an approximate 5-degrees tilt about [110] towards [110]. This tilting is believed to be the result of the high density of misfit dislocations at the interface. Speculations on the role of biasing in the promotion of epitaxial diamond nucleation on a foreign substrate are also discussed.