The molecular properties and surface morphology of undoped and N-doped ultra-nanocrystalline diamond (UNCD) films deposited by microwave plasma CVD with addition of nitrogen are investigated with various spectroscopic techniques. The results of spatially resolved Raman scattering, ATR/FT-IR and XPS spectra show more amorphous andsp2/sp3ratio characteristics in N-doped UNCD films. The surface morphology in AFM scans shows larger nanocrystalline diamond clusters in N-doped UNCD films. Incorporation of nitrogen into UNCD films has promoted an increase of amorphoussp2-bonded carbons in the grain boundaries and the size of nanocrystalline diamond grains that are well correlated to the reported enhancement of conductivity and structural changes of UNCD films.

Four different catalysts, nanodiamond seed, nano-Ni, diamond powder, and mixture of nano-Ni/diamond powder, were used to activate Si wafers for diamond film growth by hot-filament CVD (HFCVD). Diamond crystals were shown to grow directly on both large diamond powder and small nanodiamond seed, but a better crystallinity of diamond film was observed on the ultrasonicated nanodiamond seeded Si substrate. On the other hand, nano-Ni nanocatalysts seem to promote the formation of amorphous carbon but suppress transpolyacetylene (t-PA) phases at the initial growth of diamond films. The subsequent nucleation and growth of diamond crystals on the amorphous carbon layer leads to generation of the spherical diamond particles and clusters prior to coalescence into continuous diamond films based on the CH3 addition mechanism as characterized by XRD, Raman, ATR/FT-IR, XPS, TEM, SEM, and AFM techniques. Moreover, a 36% reduction in surface roughness of diamond film assisted by nano-Ni catalyst is quite significant.

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