Bias-enhanced nucleation and growth of ultrananocrystalline diamond (UNCD) nano-pillars on silicon substrates by low-pressure microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition in a hydrogen-rich gas mixture with methane is reported. Direct-current biasing of the substrate in a constant-current mode is applied to substrates, which are pre-heated to 800 °C, to result in a negative bias voltage of greater than 350 V throughout the nucleation and growth process. Self-masking by UNCD clusters, angle dependent sputtering of UNCD clusters, and ion-assisted chemical vapor deposition by bias enhanced bombardment of energetic ions are attributed to the formation of UNCD nano-pillars. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy analysis indicates that an interfacial layer exists between the silicon substrate and the UNCD nano-pillars. The porous UNCD film with high-density nano-pillars exhibits excellent optical anti-reflectivity and improved electron field emission characteristics compared to smooth and solid UNCD films.
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.
We report on effects of a tungsten layer deposited on silicon surface on the effectiveness for diamond nanoparticles to be seeded for the deposition of ultrananocrystalline diamond (UNCD). Rough tungsten surface and electrostatic forces between nanodiamond seeds and the tungsten surface layer help to improve the adhesion of nanodiamond seeds on the tungsten surface. The seeding density on tungsten coated silicon thus increases. Tungsten carbide is formed by reactions of the tungsten layer with carbon containing plasma species. It provides favorable (001) crystal planes for the nucleation of (111) crystal planes by Microwave Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition (MPECVD) in argon diluted methane plasma and further improves the density of diamond seeds/nuclei. UNCD films grown at different gas pressures on tungsten coated silicon which is pre-seeded by nanodiamond along with heteroepitaxially nucleated diamond nuclei were characterized by Raman scattering, field emission-scanning electron microscopy, and high resolution-transmission electron microscopy.
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