The effect of ultrasonic vibration on CVD diamond nucleation

Nucleation and subsequent growth of chemical vapor deposition (CVD) diamond particles on silicon substrates under ultrasonic vibration have been investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and Raman spectroscopy. The diamond nucleation density with the ultrasonic vibration was higher than without vibration. AFM observations showed that, in the initial phase, growth on vibrated substrates leads to rougher surface than conventional growth. At lower substrate temperature diamond particles could only be grown under ultrasonic vibration. Raman spectra revealed that the quality of diamonds grown on vibrated substrates at low substrate temperature is comparable to that of diamonds produced at normal conditions. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science S.A.