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Effect of plasma composition on nanocrystalline diamond layers deposited by a microwave linear antenna plasma‐enhanced chemical vapour deposition system
Author(s) -
Taylor Andrew,
Ashcheulov Petr,
Čada Martin,
Fekete Ladislav,
Hubík Pavel,
Klimša Ladislav,
Olejníček Jiří,
Remeš Zdeněk,
Jirka Ivan,
Janíček Petr,
BedelPereira Eléna,
Kopeček Jaromir,
Mistrík Jan,
Mortet Vincent
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
physica status solidi (a)
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.532
H-Index - 104
eISSN - 1862-6319
pISSN - 1862-6300
DOI - 10.1002/pssa.201532183
Subject(s) - materials science , diamond , chemical vapor deposition , plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition , silicon , analytical chemistry (journal) , layer (electronics) , substrate (aquarium) , scanning electron microscope , optoelectronics , nanotechnology , chemistry , composite material , oceanography , chromatography , geology
The addition of CO 2 into the process gas has a significant impact on the quality and the incorporation of boron in CVD diamond layers. In this report we study the effect of CO 2 addition in the gas phase on the properties of boron doped nano‐crystalline diamond (BNCD) layers grown at low substrate temperatures (450–500 °C) using a microwave linear antenna plasma‐enhanced chemical vapour deposition apparatus (MW‐LA‐PECVD). Experimental results show an increase in the layers' conductivity with a reduction in CO 2 concentration, which is consistent with the variation in the atomic boron emission line intensity measured by optical emission spectroscopy (OES). At CO 2 concentrations close to zero, we observed the formation of a smooth, transparent and highly resistive layer on unseeded substrates. This layer has been identified as silicon carbide (SiC) by transmission electron microscopy and X‐ray photoelectron microscopy. The presence of silicon in the plasma is confirmed by OES and it is attributed to quartz tube etching. In this specific deposition condition, diamond growth is in competition with SiC growth, which affects the diamond layer properties. SEM image of layer growth on a silicon substrate at low CO 2 concentration on unseeded area (left) with a smooth, highly resistive and transparent SiC layer and seeded area (right) with a boron doped nano‐crystalline diamond layer.