Characterization of diamond films deposited with a 915-MHz scaled-up surface-wave-sustained plasma

• Published in: Diamond and related materials Vol. 7; no. 11; pp. 1675 - 1683
• Main Authors: Schelz, S., Campillo, C., Moisan, M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 01-12-1998; Elsevier
• Subjects: Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; CVD diamond films; Exact sciences and technology; Large area coating; Materials science; Methods of deposition of films and coatings; film growth and epitaxy; Microwave plasma reactors; Physics; Scale-up; Surface-wave-sustained plasma; Vapor phase epitaxy; growth from vapor phase; CVD diamond films; Microwave plasma reactors; Large area coating; Surface-wave-sustained plasma; Scale-up; Stresses; Films; Synthetic mineral; Microwave radiation; Diamonds; Polycrystals; Sustained discharge; Crystallinity; Crystal growth from vapors; Experimental study; Coatings; Plasma sources; Characterization; Surface waves; Nonmetals; Fabrication structure relation
• ISSN: 0925-9635; 1879-0062
• DOI: 10.1016/S0925-9635(98)00243-X

The operating frequency of a microwave plasma system designed for polycrystalline diamond film deposition is lowered from 2450 to 915
MHz to allow for larger diameter substrate processing. The substrate diameter is limited to 80
mm by the size of the cathode heater utilized as susceptor; 76-mm (3-inch) Si(100) wafers have actually been processed. Good-quality diamond films are obtained over the whole substrate surface with a thickness uniformity of ±10%. The plasma of these systems is sustained by an electromagnetic surface wave and adjusted for uniform coverage of the substrate. We compare the characteristics of these discharges at 915 and 2450
MHz and their corresponding diamond films.