Microwave plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition of nanocrystalline diamond films by bias-enhanced nucleation and bias-enhanced growth

Journal Article · Tue Jan 14 04:00:00 EST 2014 · Journal of Applied Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4861417· OSTI ID:22271247

Chu, Yueh-Chieh ^[1]; Tzeng, Yonhua ^[1]; Auciello, Orlando ^[2]

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1. Institute of Microelectronics, National Cheng Kung University No.1, University Road, Tainan 701, Taiwan (China)
2. Department of Materials Science and Engineering and Bioengineering, University of Texas in Dallas, 800 W. Campbell Rd, Richardson, Texas 75080 (United States)

Effects of biasing voltage-current relationship on microwave plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition of ultrananocrystalline diamond (UNCD) films on (100) silicon in hydrogen diluted methane by bias-enhanced nucleation and bias-enhanced growth processes are reported. Three biasing methods are applied to study their effects on nucleation, growth, and microstructures of deposited UNCD films. Method A employs 320 mA constant biasing current and a negative biasing voltage decreasing from −490 V to −375 V for silicon substrates pre-heated to 800 °C. Method B employs 400 mA constant biasing current and a decreasing negative biasing voltage from −375 V to −390 V for silicon pre-heated to 900 °C. Method C employs −350 V constant biasing voltage and an increasing biasing current up to 400 mA for silicon pre-heated to 800 °C. UNCD nanopillars, merged clusters, and dense films with smooth surface morphology are deposited by the biasing methods A, B, and C, respectively. Effects of ion energy and flux controlled by the biasing voltage and current, respectively, on nucleation, growth, microstructures, surface morphologies, and UNCD contents are confirmed by scanning electron microscopy, high-resolution transmission-electron-microscopy, and UV Raman scattering.

• OSTI ID: 22271247
• Journal Information: Journal of Applied Physics, Journal Name: Journal of Applied Physics Journal Issue: 2 Vol. 115; ISSN JAPIAU; ISSN 0021-8979
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
CHEMICAL VAPOR DEPOSITION
CRYSTALS
DIAMONDS
MICROSTRUCTURE
MICROWAVE RADIATION
MORPHOLOGY
NANOSTRUCTURES
NUCLEATION
RAMAN SPECTROSCOPY
SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
SILICON
SUBSTRATES
THIN FILMS
TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY