Surface Morphology and Microstructure Evolution of Single Crystal Diamond during Different Homoepitaxial Growth Stages

Homoepitaxial growth of step-flow single crystal diamond was performed by microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition system on high-pressure high-temperature diamond substrate. A coarse surface morphology with isolated particles was firstly deposited on diamond substrate as an interlayer under hillock growth model. Then, the growth model was changed to step-flow growth model for growing step-flow single crystal diamond layer on this hillock interlayer. Furthermore, the surface morphology evolution, cross-section and surface microstructure, and crystal quality of grown diamond were evaluated by scanning electron microscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microcopy, and Raman and photoluminescence spectroscopy. It was found that the surface morphology varied with deposition time under step-flow growth parameters. The cross-section topography exhibited obvious inhomogeneity in crystal structure. Additionally, the diamond growth mechanism from the microscopic point of view was revealed to illustrate the morphological and structural evolution.

Automated summary

The study conducted homoepitaxial growth of step-flow single crystal diamond using a microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition system on a high-pressure high-temperature diamond substrate. The research focused on the surface morphology evolution, crystal quality, and growth mechanism of diamond, revealing the inhomogeneity in crystal structure and the morphological and structural evolution from a microscopic point of view.