Manipulation of the equilibrium between diamond growth and renucleation to form a nanodiamond/amorphous carbon composite

Abstract

Composite films of ∼10 nm nanodiamond particles embedded in an amorphous carbon matrix were formed using a double bias assisted hot filament chemical vapor deposition system with a feeding gas mixture of 1% CH4:99% H2. The structure was obtained via the equilibrium of a multistage process including: (1) bias enhanced nucleation of diamond in an amorphous carbon matrix, (2) growth of both amorphous carbon and diamond, (3) suppression of the diamond growth by the surrounding amorphous carbon matrix, and (4) bias enhanced renucleation of diamond on the new amorphous carbon boundaries. The work adds insight to the diamond nucleation and growth processes.