Mechanism of the Step Growth of Diamond Crystals with Carbon Atoms: I . Epitaxial Growth of (001) Surfaces in the Lowest Singlet State with Carbon Atoms

Abstract

A mechanism of the diamond synthesis in hydrocarbon plasmas were investigated in the case where carbon atoms are the reactive species for the epitaxial growth taking place on the (001) surfaces in the lowest singlet state. The results obtained are as follows: i) Two types of the step are generated in the step growth; i.e, the step type I and the step type II ; ii) The step growth is the dimer row growth. A dimer row on the (001) surface grows independently. This situation explains the ragged line of the step; iii) The step growth is a complex process. It is initiated by the nucleation at the step edge and followed by the dimer row propagation; iv) The nucleus is a dimer which has the reactivity like a σ‐type dangling bond which propagates a dimer row to the both sides of the nucleus along the step edge. This situation explains the straight line of the step; v) The propagation process of a dimer row in the step growth follows exactly the same mechanism as the step growth does.