Bias-enhanced nucleation of diamond on silicon dioxide

Abstract

Characterization of amorphous SiO2 surfaces after biasing pretreatments, which induce nucleation of diamond, has been carried out using x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy. A mixture of silicon carbide, silicon oxycarbide, and diamond are formed upon exposure of biased SiO2 surfaces to a CH4+H2 plasma used for diamond deposition. It is concluded that nucleation of diamond on amorphous SiO2 surfaces is promoted by formation of a SiC surface layer. Textured diamond films have been fabricated on bulk SiO2 substrates using biasing pretreatments to induce diamond nucleation.