ELECTRON-BEAM DEFINED DELAMINATION AND ABLATION OF CARBON-DIAMOND THIN-FILMS ON SILICON

Defined delamination of thin carbon-diamond films on Si using a focused electron beam of 0.5 kW/cm2 power density is reported. The films were deposited form a CH4/Ar rf plasma and were less than 1 μm thick with residual compressive stress of 1.0-0.5 GPa. At higher electron beam power densities ablation and crystallization of the films are observed. Analysis of buckling patterns in spontaneously delaminated films give estimates of 128 J m2, 91 GPa and 0.5 for the intrinsic interface toughness, Young's modulus and Poissons ratio of the films.