Pre-nucleation techniques for enhancing nucleation density and adhesion of low temperature deposited ultra-nanocrystalline diamond

摘要

Effect of pre-nucleation techniques on enhancing nucleation density and the adhesion of ultra-nanocrystalline diamond (UNCD) deposited on the Si substrates at low temperature were investigated. Four different pre-nucleation techniques were used for depositing UNCD films: (i) bias-enhanced nucleation (BEN); (ii) pre-carburized and then ultrasonicated with diamond powder solution (PC-U); (iii) ultrasonicated with diamond and Ti mixed powder solution (U-m); (iv) ultrasonicated with diamond powder solution (U). The nucleation density is lowest for UNCD/U-substrate films (approx 10~8 grains/cm~2), which results in roughest surface and poorest fiim-to-substrate adhesion. The UNCD/PC-U-substrate films show largest nucleation density (approx 1 X 10~(11) grains/cm~2) and most smooth surface (8.81 nm-rms), whereas the UNCD/BEN-substrate films exhibit the strongest adhesion to the Si substrates (critical loads = approx67 mN). Such a phenomenon can be ascribed to the high kinetic energy of the carbon species, which easily form covalent bonding, Si-C, and bond strongly to both the Si and diamond.