Adhesion of CVD diamond films on silicon substrates of different crystallographic orientations

• Published in: Diamond and related materials Vol. 5; no. 12; pp. 1402 - 1406
• Main Authors: Borges, C.F.M., Schelz, S., Martinu, L., Moisan, M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 01-12-1996; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adhesion; Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties; Crystallographic orientation; CVD diamond films; Exact sciences and technology; Mechanical and acoustical properties; adhesion; Physics; Roughness; Solid surfaces and solid-solid interfaces; Surfaces and interfaces; thin films and whiskers (structure and nonelectronic properties); Crystallographic orientation; CVD diamond films; Adhesion; Roughness; Scratching test; Raman spectra; Films; Synthetic mineral; Crystal orientation; Diamonds; Ultrasonic waves; Mechanical properties; Solid-solid interfaces; Experimental study; Substrates; CVD; Nonmetals; Nucleation density; Pretreatment
• ISSN: 0925-9635; 1879-0062
• DOI: 10.1016/S0925-9635(96)00565-1

In order to gain insight into the adhesion mechanisms of diamond films, we examine Si substrates with three different crystallographic orientations at the various stages of the deposition process. This allows one to distinguish the surface phenomena involved in diamond deposition from those due to gaseous plasma processes. We find that the initial ultrasonic scratching treatment produces partial graphitization of the diamond powder, and it controls the crystallite size through the carbon residues. On the other hand, an increased surface roughness due to H-atom etching correlates with increased adhesion. The deposited film adhesion is found to increase in the sequence Si(111)<Si(110)<Si(100), and it increases in the same order with nucleation density.