Diamond growth using carbon monoxide as a carbon source

Abstract

Polycrystalline diamond films were produced in a microwave plasma assisted CVD reactor using CO as the carbon source gas. Reactor exhaust gas compositions were determined by mass spectrometry using 2–10% CO and 0–1.5% O2 in H2 feed gas mixtures. The chemistry involved in the gas phase is similar to that which occurs when diamond is grown using hydrocarbons as carbon source gases. A chemical mechanism for the oxidation of CH4 in flames appears to be applicable to this system. Addition of O2 to the reactor feed gas results in increased growth rates for low addition levels possibly due to activation of the diamond surface, while lower growth rates result at high addition levels due to oxidation of carbon from the surface and depletion of diamond growth precursors in the gas phase. The chemical reactions that take place in the plasma are similar to those that occur in flames and hot filament reactors, indicating that the plasma acts to induce reactions that are normally associated with high temperature combustion processes.