Imaging polycrystalline CVD diamond films on the micrometer and nanometer scale by STM and AFM

Abstract

Scanning tunneling microscopy and atomic force microscopy have been used for surface characterisation of chemical-vapour-deposited diamond films on silicon substrates. On the micrometer scale, the results are compared to scanning electron microscopy. Due to the geometric form of the cantilever used, atomic force microscopy is found to be restricted for imaging rough surfaces of diamond films. At higher magnification with scanning tunneling microscopy, disordered structures of clusters of 5–30 nm in size are observed. Surface reconstruction is imaged on the (100) face.