The synthesis of diamond films on adamantane-coated Si substrate at low temperature

Diamond films have been synthesized on the adamantane-coated Si (1 00) substrate by microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition from a gaseous mixture of methane and hydrogen gases with a growth rate of similar to 6.7 nm/min. The substrate temperature was similar to 475 degrees C during diamond deposition. The films obtained have good crystallinity that is characterized by scanning electron microscopy and Raman spectrometry. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis has confirmed that diamond nucleation and growth are on SiC rather than clean Si. The possible mechanism of high rate growth diamond films has been demonstrated. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.