Diamond Crystal Growth Using Plasma Formed with Dielectrically Guided Microwaves

摘要

A preliminary investigation into the growth of diamonds with plasmas formed withdielectrically guided microwaves has been made. Microwaves in the low X-band frequency range of 7.9 to 8.4 GHz were amplified with a traveling wave tube amplifier up to 320 watts. These microwaves were transitioned from rigid waveguides to a dielectric waveguide that carried them directly into the system's reaction chamber. Plasmas were formed in mixtures of argon, oxygen, hydrogen, and methane gasses. Initial evidence suggests that under the experimental growth conditions used, diamond like carbon films can be deposited on non-diamond substrates, while simultaneous epitaxial growth of crystalline diamonds can occur on single crystal diamond seeds.