Effect of oxygen on the nucleation and growth of diamond thin films

Abstract

We have used x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy to study the effects of oxygen on the nucleation and growth of diamond films during microwave plasma assisted chemical vapor deposition. The high film growth rate in the presence of oxygen in the feed gas mixture was found to be related to the accelerated saturation of carbon onto the Si substrate surface. This reduces the incubation period and promotes a much faster diamond nucleation and growth than with oxygen-less plasmas. In the presence of oxygen, diamond has been detected as early as 1 min into the deposition, whereas without oxygen it was not observed until after 40–50 min.