Optical emission spectroscopy during the bias-enhanced nucleation of diamond microcrystals by microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition process

Abstract

Microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition (MWPCVD) process has been used to grow diamond thin films on silicon substrates from CH4–H2 gas mixture. Bias-enhanced nucleation (BEN) pretreatment has been used to increase the density of diamond nuclei. Various species in the CH4–H2 plasma have been identified using optical emission spectroscopy (OES), and their effect on the film microstructure has been studied. During the pretreatment process the emission intensities of CH, CH+, C2, H, and H2* species have been found to increase significantly for a negative dc bias voltage |VB| > 60 V. The higher concentration of excited species and the associated effects play a significant role in the growth process. A very thin layer of a-C containing predominant sp3 bonded carbon species in the initial stages of the growth is found to be present in these films. The microstructure of the films has been found to be very sensitive to the biasing conditions.