Oriented single-crystal diamond cones and their arrays

One of the major problems in material science has been the difficulty in modification of the most endurable material, diamond, due to its extreme hardness and chemical inertness. Here, we report the development of a conical structure of diamond by performing bias-assisted reactive ion etching in hydrogen plasma. The diamond cones produced by this method are uniformly distributed over large areas on silicon substrates. Each cone was identified to be a single crystal with an apical angle as small as 28degrees and a very sharp tip (tip radii similar to2 nm). Their [001] axes are perpendicular to the substrate surface and parallel to each other. Such striking structures of individual single-crystal diamond cones and their arrays, in addition to their scientific value, may lead to a breakthrough in the design of high-performance mechanical and electronic devices. (C) 2003 American Institute of Physics.