Development of flat, smooth (100) faceted diamond thin films using microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition

Abstract

A novel approach has been used to develop (100) faceted diamond films with flat, smooth surfaces. A morphological study of the early stages of growth behavior of (100) homoepitaxial films versus process temperature and methane percentage was carried out using atomic force microscopy. The results showed that spiral growth features and penetration twin density were dominant for growth conditions not well suited for (100) growth. Optimized process parameters were found to proceed via a step mechanism consistent with ledge growth on (2 × 1) reconstructed (100) diamond surfaces. These optimized conditions were then applied to growth of polycrystalline diamond on pretreated silicon substrates. A unique octahedral faceted film resulted, indicating strong preference for growth in the 〈100〉 direction. Scanning electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction, and Raman spectroscopy were used to assess film morphology, internal fiber texture, and carbon phase, respectively. A second stage growth step was used to flatten the surface topography to achieve the desired (100) flat tile-like morphology. This smooth (100) surface exhibited enhanced tribological performance compared to a typical randomly textured diamond film.