Effect of hydrogenated amorphous carbon films on nucleation of diamond particles by hot-filament chemical vapor deposition

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Abstract
To enhance a nucleation rate of diamond particles, hydrogenated amorphous carbon (a-C: H) intermediate layers have been formed by radio frequency plasma chemical vapor deposition (CVD) on silicon substrates prior to diamond deposition by hot filament CVD, and the effect of a-C: H intermediate layers on the nucleation and growth rate of diamond particles is studied by varying the thickness of a-C: H films. It is found that diamond particles are well synthesized on thin a-C: H intermediate layers and the nucleation density and growth rate are decreased with increasing the thickness of a-C: H films. Atomic force microscope observations show that a-C: H intermediate layers with rough surface are more effective than the smooth surface for diamond synthesis. Raman spectroscopy shows that the bonding state of carbon atoms in a-C: H films does not change by varying the thickness of a-C: H films. It is proposed that diamond nucleation is affected by the surface morphology rather than the bonding state of carbon atoms in a-C: H films.