Boron-doped Homoepitaxial Diamond CVD from Microwave Plasma-Activated Ethanol/Trimethyl Borate/Hydrogen Mixtures

Boron-doped homoepitaxial diamond films are deposited from ethanol/trimethyl borate/hydrogen mixtures activated by microwave (MW) discharge plasma. The high smoothness, uniform distribution of boron atoms located predominantly in substitution positions, and low concentration of the nitrogen-compensating impurity is achieved. C2H5OH dissociation pathways in MW plasma-activated (PA)CVD reactor conditions, and the distribution of CxHyOz concentrations in the hot core of C2H5OH/H2 plasma are calculated. It is shown that the methyl radical is as responsible for diamond growth in C2H5OH/H2 mixtures as for a conventional CH4/H2 mixture.