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Role of nitrogen in the homoepitaxial growth on diamond anvils by microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 March 2011

Wei Qiu ,
Yogesh K. Vohra  and
Samuel T. Weir
Wei Qiu
Affiliation:
Department of Physics, University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), Birmingham, Alabama 35294-1170
Yogesh K. Vohra*
Affiliation:
Department of Physics, University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), Birmingham, Alabama 35294-1170
Samuel T. Weir
Affiliation:
L-281, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, University of California, Livermore, California 94550
*
a) Address all correspondence to this author. e-mail: [email protected]
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Abstract

The catalytic effect of nitrogen during the homoepitaxial diamond growth on a diamond anvil was investigated using isotopically enriched carbon-13 methane in a feed-gas mixture in a microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition reactor. The use of isotopically enriched carbon-13 allows us to precisely measure the film thickness in this homoepitaxial growth process by Raman spectroscopy. It is found that the addition of 0.4 sccm of nitrogen to an H2/CH4/O2 gas-phase mixture increases the growth rate by a factor of 2.3. This enhanced growth rate with the addition of trace amounts of nitrogen allows for a quick encapsulation of embedded sensors in the designer diamond anvils and is a key control parameter in the fabrication process. Photoluminescence spectroscopy reveals nitrogen-vacancy defect centers in the high-growth-rate diamonds. Atomic force microscopy reveals dramatic changes in the surface microstructure as is indicated by a total loss of step-flow growth morphology on the addition of nitrogen in the plasma.

Keywords

DiamondEpitaxyPlasma-enhanced (CVD) (PECVD) (deposition)
Type
Articles
Information
Journal of Materials Research , Volume 22 , Issue 4 , April 2007 , pp. 1112 - 1117
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2007

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