Morphological instabilities in the low pressure synthesis of diamond

Morphological instabilities attending the high growth rate of diamond films are examined. Pertinent literature on morphological instabilities and microstructure evolution in vapor deposited films is reviewed and theoretical treatments related to the case of diamond growth are discussed. Diamond films of various thicknesses have been synthesized utilizing the combustion flame synthesis technique involving diamond growth rates of ∼1 μm/min. Films of thicknesses under 20 μm are found to be dense and the surface smoothness of such films is governed by facets on the individual crystallites that make up the film. Increasing film thicknesses, at high growth rates, results in extremely rough surfaces, the trapping of voids and discontinuities, and the incorporation of non-diamond phases in the growing film. These characteristics are typical of morphological instabilities when surface diffusion and re-evaporation processes are absent and instability is promoted by the high rate arrival of the appropriate species from the flame ambient to the surface. Factors contributing to morphological instabilities include competitive shadowing and nutrient starvation and growth anisotropy of the different crystallographic faces on individual diamond crystals. It is shown that surface temperature and the presence of oxidizing species in the flame ambient contribute to anisotropic growth of diamond crystals and hence to morphological instabilities in diamond films. An approach to avoiding these instabilities is briefly discussed.