Thin nanocrystalline MW PE CVD diamond films: nucleation, growth,doping and electrical transport phenomena

Abstract

Diamond is an interesting material that is under study for many years. Nowadays, while science evolves towards the small scales, also diamond research has found its way into the “nano” world studying so called nanocrystalline diamond (NCD). An overview of the diamond growth history and the outstanding properties is given in the first chapter. Here is also defined what NCD is and where it is positioned in the broad range of carbon materials. The second chapter gives an overview of all the important experimental techniques that were applied in this research. Experimental setups for surface and structural characterisation, such as scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy and X-ray diffraction are explained. Also techniques for optical measurements are described such as Raman and transmittance spectroscopy. The preparation techniques, used as seeding before diamond growth, are described for different methods that were used. Among these methods there is also a description of the new monodispersed detonation diamond seeding. In this experimental chapter the chemical vapour deposition technique for diamond growth is explained and the different diamond deposition systems are described as well as the magnetron sputtering system. The in situ analysis methods of the deposition process are also included here. The last part of this chapter describes the setup for electrical characterisation of the doped NCD films. This electrical characterisation is carried out in van der Pauw configuration and involves a resistivity measurement and a Hall effect measurement in a cryostat in the range from 80 K to 400 K....