Nanocrystalline diamond film growth on plastic substrates at temperatures below100 °Cfrom low-temperature plasma

Abstract

Nanocrystalline diamond films have been successfully synthesized on plastic substrates at substrate temperatures below 100°C using a microwave plasma chemical-vapor deposition technique. This has been realized by using low reaction-gas pressures and a surface-wave plasma with a low-electron temperature over the growth region. The nanocrystalline diamond films exhibit growth rates with much lower temperature dependence than conventional diamond growth and decreasing nucleation rates with increasing substrate temperatures. These phenomena imply a different growth mechanism from conventional diamond syntheses. In addition, our analysis on the crystal size distribution of the nanocrystalline diamond film indicates the possibility of diamond nucleation in a stable phase in the plasma. The gas-phase nucleation, invoked by the low-electron temperature of the surface-wave plasma, well explains the low-temperature growth and the temperature dependences of the growth rate and the nucleation rate.

Direct Coating of Nanocrystalline Diamond on Steel

“…The feature of the distribution is the exponentially decreasing number with increasing size, which is related to the growth mechanism of the NCD film in the surface-wave plasma. 24) Fig. 7.…”

“…[21][22][23][24][25] It has realized a wide substrate temperature range for NCD growth from below 100 C to above 700 C. 24) Employing this technique, NCD films have been deposited on stainless steel substrates without those problems in the present work. Their mechanical properties have been characterized by friction and wear tests.…”

Diamond Nucleation and Seeding Techniques: Two Complementary Strategies for the Growth of Ultra-thin Diamond Films

“…15 More recently, homogeneous diamond nucleation was reported at low pressure (o10 2 Pa compared to 10 3 -10 4 Pa for conventional CVD) and a low electron temperature (2.6 eV instead of 5 eV) using surface microwave plasma (MPCVD) for diamond growth on plastic substrates at a temperature lower than 100 1C. 16 Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) investigations have demonstrated the presence of nanometric diamond crystals, probably formed in the gas phase ( Figure 10.1). These findings are supported by calculations, which predicted suitable plasma conditions.…”

Nanodiamonds: From Synthesis and Purification to Deposition Techniques, Hybrids Fabrication and Applications

“…Using surface wave plasma, nanocrystalline diamond films have been deposited onto plastic substrates at temperature down to 100°C [24]. Films morphology corresponds to nanometric diamond crystals embedded in an amorphous carbon matrix according to X-ray diffraction and TEM observations [25]. This surface wave plasma allows large area deposition up to 300 × 300 mm 2 .…”