IN SITU CHARACTERIZATION OF DIAMOND SURFACES DURING LOW PRESSURE CHEMICAL VAPOR DEPOSITION

THE CHEMICAL MECHANISMS OF CHEMICAL VAPOR DEPOSITION (CVD) OF DIAMOND AND OTHER ELECTRONIC MATERIALS ARE AT BEST POORLYUNDERSTOOD. DURING PHASE I, WE SHALL CONSTRUCT A LOW PRESSURE CHEMICAL VAPOR DEPOSITION (LPCVD) REACTOR EQUIPPED WITH AN ION BEAM SURFACE PROBE AND DEMONSTRATE ITS UTILITY IN DETERMINING SURFACE STOICHIOMETRIES UNDER ACTUAL DEPOSITION CONDITIONS IN-SITU. THE GOAL IS TO PERFECT AND USE SUCH EQUIPMENT TO INVESTIGATE THE MECHANISM AND KINETICSOF HOMO-EPITAXIAL DIAMOND GROWTH. INSIGHTS INTO THE DEPOSITION CHEMISTRY OF DIAMOND OBTAINED BY THIS METHOD WILLENABLE THE DEVELOPMENT OF IMPROVED TECHNIQUES FOR MANUFACTURING SINGLE CRYSTAL DIAMOND FILM. NEW ELECTRONIC APPLICATIONS OF DIAMOND MAY BECOME PRACTICAL AND COMMERCIALIZABLE AS A RESULT OF THIS EFFORT.