LOW-COST DIAMOND DECTECTOR MATERIALS FOR THE SUPERCONDUCTINGSUPER COLLIDER

THERE IS GROWING INTEREST IN THE HIGH PERFORMANCE POTENTIAL FOR DIAMOND FILMS AS A DETECTOR MATERIAL IN THE SUPERCONDUCTING SUPER COLLIDER (SSC). THEORETICAL PREDICTIONS AND EXPERIMENTAL DATA INDICATE GREAT ADVANTAGES TO BE ACHIEVED IF DIAMOND FILMS CAN BE EMPLOYED. CURRENT DIAMOND DEPOSITION COSTS ARE FAR TOO HIGH TO PERMIT USE IN THE SSC. THE MOST DIRECT ROUTE TO DIAMOND FILM COST REDUCTION LIES IN UNDERSTANDING THE PLASMA CHEMISTRY OF DIAMOND DEPOSITION SYSTEMS, SPECIFICALLY THAT OF MICROWAVE PLASMA CHEMICAL VAPOR DEPOSITION, WHICH IS THE MOST PROBABLETECHNOLOGY TO BE USED FOR SSC DIAMOND DETECTOR MATERIAL SYNTHESIS. A DIAMOND DEPOSITION REACTOR INSTRUMENTED SPECIFICALLY FOR EXPLORING DIAMOND DEPOSITION PLASMA CHEMISTRY HAS BEEN BUILT AND HAS PROVIDED IMPORTANT DATA ABOUT DIRECT CURRENT GLOW DISCHARGE DIAMOND DEPOSITION CHEMISTRY THAT HAS MATERIALLY IMPROVED PRODUCTION PROCESSES. THIS REACTOR IS BEING USED IN PHASE I TO CHARCTERIZE THE PLASMA CHEMISTRY OF MICROWAVE DIAMOND DEPOSITION AND TO CORRELATE PLASMA CHEMISTRY DATA WITH OBSERVED DIAMOND MATERIAL PROPERTIES. THE OBJECTIVE IS TO DETERMINE HOW BEST TO DRASTICALLY CUT THE PRESENT HIGH COST OF DIAMOND DEPOSITION TO MAKE DIAMOND FILMS PRACTICABLE FOR SSC USE.