SELECTED AREA DIAMOND DEPOSITION BY CONTROL OF THE NUCLEATION SITES

In the present study, it has been demonstrated that the critical nucleus size of hot-filament chemical vapour deposition diamond is less than 5 nm, by depositing diamond on ultra-fine diamond particles with a mean particle size of 5 nm. Diamond nucleation sites were also investigated by means of deposition on several Si substrates pre-treated in different ways; sonication with diamond powders of different sizes and ion implantation onto the substrates. The nucleation sites were thought to be micro-flaws and/or the residual "diamond dust" on the substrate. An adequate ion implantation has been found to destroy the nucleation sites. It has been further demonstrated that diamond deposition on selected areas is possible by control of the nucleation sites; selected area diamond seeding or ion implantation onto selected areas of the substrate pre-treated with diamond powders. © 1992.