Diamond crystal growth by plasma CVD.

We have grown diamond crystals and polycrystalline diamond films from CH sub 4/H sub 2/O sub 2 gas feeds in a simple, high power density, 2450 MHz discharge tube reactor. Growth rates up to ~20 microns/hour have been achieved. The material has been analyzed using Raman spectroscopy, Auger spectroscopy and x-ray diffraction. Control of nucleation is a major problem for growing sound films, and the high temperatures currently required for growth will limit applications. Oxygen additions were necessary to deposit diamonds over the range of feed composition we studied. A new reactor is being constructed to grow diamonds and diamond films under controlled temperature and plasma conditions.