Fast growth of ultrananocrystalline diamond films by bias-enhanced nucleation and growth process in CH{sub 4}/Ar plasma

Journal Article · Mon May 05 00:00:00 EDT 2014 · Applied Physics Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4875808· OSTI ID:22269187

Saravanan, A.; Huang, B. R. ^[1]; Sankaran, K. J.; Tai, N. H. ^[2]; Dong, C. L. ^[3]

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1. Graduate Institute of Electro-Optical Engineering and Department of Electronic Engineering, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taipei 106, Taiwan (China)
2. Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National TsingHua University, Hsinchu 300, Taiwan (China)
3. Scientific Research Division, National Synchrotron Radiation Research Center, Hsinchu 300, Taiwan (China)

This letter describes the fast growth of ultrananocrystalline diamond (UNCD) films by bias-enhanced nucleation and growth process in CH{sub 4}/Ar plasma. The UNCD grains were formed at the beginning of the film's growth without the necessity of forming the amorphous carbon interlayer, reaching a thickness of ∼380 nm in 10 min. Transmission electron microscopic investigations revealed that the application of bias voltage induced the formation of graphitic phase both in the interior and at the interface regions of UNCD films that formed interconnected paths, facilitating the transport of electrons and resulting in enhanced electron field emission properties.

• OSTI ID: 22269187
• Journal Information: Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 104, Issue 18; Other Information: (c) 2014 AIP Publishing LLC; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0003-6951
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
CRYSTAL FIELD
DIAMONDS
ELECTRONS
FIELD EMISSION
GRAPHITE
METHANE
THIN FILMS