Deposition of diamond films by microwave plasma CVD on 4H-SiC substrates

Abstract

Diamond films were deposited on 4H-SiC substrates by microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition (MPCVD). The substrate pretreatment method of electrostatic adsorption of seed crystals by nanodiamond suspensions was used, and the nucleation density of diamond on the substrate surface reached 10 ^10 /cm ^2 compared with ultrasonic seed crystals of diamond micro-powder suspensions, and continuous dense diamond films were formed in a shorter growth time. Scanning electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy were used to characterize the changes of diamond grain morphology and quality with methane concentration, deposition time and substrate temperature during the growth process. The experimental results show that the methane concentration, deposition time and substrate temperature are the key factors affecting the grain shape and quality of diamond. And the best quality of diamond film is obtained at 850 °C substrate temperature.

Keywords

• microwave plasma CVD
• 4H-SiC
• substrate pretreatment
• diamond films