LASER CHEMICAL VAPOR DEPOSITION GROWTH OF DIAMOND THIN FILMS ON ELECTRONIC MATERIAL SUBSTRATES

LASER CHEMICAL VAPOR DISPOSITION (LCVD)-PROCESSED FILMS ARE EXPECTED TO BE SUPERIOR TO THOSE PROCESSED WITH PLASMA CVD AND ION BEAM METHODS BECAUSE LCVD PROVIDES HIGH DEPOSITION RATE, HIGH PURITY FILMS, LOCALIZED DEPOSITION, FINE GRAIN SIZE, HIGH SPATIAL RESOLUTION, LOW SUBSTRATE TEMPERATURES, AND EXCELLENT PROCESS CONTROLLABILITY. IN THIS PROJECT, ELECTRONIC MATERIAL SUBSTRATES OF THE TYPE GAAS AND INP ARE BEING DEPOSITED WITH DIAMOND THIN FILMS USING LCVD. BOTH PYROLYSIS AND PHOTOLYSIS MODES OF LASER DEPOSITION FORM A MIXTURE OF CH4 AND H2 OR C2H2 AND H2 ARE BEING UTILIZED USING UV/IR LASER BEAMS. THE POTENTIAL APPLICATIONS OF THISPROJECT ARE: A RAPID METHOD OF DEPOSITION OF HIGH PERFORMANCE DIAMOND FILMS ON A LARGE VARIETY OF OPTOELECTRONIC COMPONENTS; SOLID STATE OPTICAL SWITCHES; LARGE AREA HEAT SINKS FOR ELECTRONICS; WEAR RESISTANT SURFACES FOR CUTTING TOOLS; ROCK DRILLS AND STAMPING PUNCHES; AND ANTIREFLECTION AND PROTECTIVE COATINGS.