A new polarised hot filament chemical vapor deposition process for homogeneous diamond nucleation on Si(100)

A new hot filament chemical vapor deposition with direct current plasma assistance (DC HFCVD) chamber has been designed for an intense nucleation and subsequent growth of diamond films on Si(100). Growth process as well as the I=f(V) characteristics of the DC discharge are reported. Gas phase constituents activation was obtained by a stable glow discharge between two grid electrodes coupled with two sets of parallel hot filaments settled in-between and polarised at the corresponding plasma potential. The sample is negatively biased with a small 10–15 V extraction potential with respect to the cathode grid. Such design allows to create a high density of both ions and radicals that are extracted and focussed onto the surface of the sample. The current density onto the sample can be finely tuned independently of the primary plasma. A homogeneous plasma fully covering the sample surface is visualized. Consequently, a high-density nucleation (⩾10¹⁰ cm⁻²) occurs.