Smooth diamond films grown by hot filament chemical vapor deposition on positively biased silicon substrates

Diamond films have been grown by hot filament chemical vapor deposition (CVD) on mirror-polished positively biased Si substrates. Very smooth films a few micrometers thick were obtained in only 30 min. SEM, x-ray diffraction patterns, and Raman were used to characterize the films. Not only diamond but other carbon phases, were also detected. The initial structure showed a high density of defects and large stresses. Structural changes in time were found to occur with films apparently undergoing a phase transformation.