Pulsed Electron Beam Deposition of Nanocrystalline Diamond

Abstract

ABSTRACTPulsed electron beam ablation (15 keV, 1 kA, 100 ns) has been used to grow thin films of nanocrystalline diamond on silicon substrates. The films have been grown at room temperature and 150°C, and under argon as the working background gas at a pressure of about 4 mTorr. Visible reflectance spectroscopic analysis has shown films thickness to range between about 55 nm and 115 nm. Visible-Raman spectroscopic measurements have confirmed the presence of sp3 carbon bonds with a substantial fraction in the deposited films, and surrounded by a graphitic phase. The morphological features of the films have been assessed by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The films surface is relatively smooth at room temperature and for low thickness, and becomes rougher at high temperature and for thicker films.