Deposition of heteroepitaxial diamond on 6H-SiC single crystal by bias-enhanced microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition

Deposition of heteroepitaxial diamond on substrates of 6H-SiC single crystal by a d.c. voltage biased-enhanced microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition method has been attempted. Various concentrations of methane (CH4) up to 10% in hydrogen (H-2) was used to evaluate its effect on epitaxy. Characterization of cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy with electron energy loss spectroscopy shows that an interlayer can form between diamond 6H-SiC, depending on the CH4 concentration. With low CH4 concentration, diamond was directly nucleated on 6H-SiC with an orientation relationship of diamond {111}//6H-SiC {0001} and diamond [110]//6H-SiC [11 (2) over bar 0]. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.