Skip to content

Applications of Nanodiamond films deposited by coaxial arc plasma deposition method

MetadataDetails
Publication Date2021-10-21
JournalProceedings of International Exchange and Innovation Conference on Engineering & Sciences (IEICES)
AuthorsAbdelrahman Zkria
InstitutionsKyushu University, Ion Exchange (India)
AnalysisFull AI Review Included

Technical Documentation & Analysis: Nanodiamond Films via Coaxial Arc Plasma Deposition

Section titled “Technical Documentation & Analysis: Nanodiamond Films via Coaxial Arc Plasma Deposition”
  • Process Innovation: Successful growth of Nanodiamond (ND) films utilizing Coaxial Arc Plasma Deposition (CAPD), a Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD) technique, bypassing the need for traditional diamond seeding pretreatment.
  • Low Thermal Budget: ND film synthesis was achieved at room temperature, offering significant advantages in manufacturing complexity and compatibility with temperature-sensitive substrates.
  • Electronic Functionality: Controlled doping was demonstrated using Nitrogen (N) and Boron (B) to create n-type and p-type ND semiconductors, respectively.
  • Device Performance: Fabricated ND/Si heterojunction diodes exhibited high rectifying action and confirmed strong photodetection properties, suitable for advanced optoelectronic applications.
  • Material Versatility: ND films were successfully deposited on diverse substrates, including Tungsten Carbide (WC-Co) for hard coatings, and Titanium (Ti) and Zirconia for biomedical implants and artificial joints.
  • 6CCVD Relevance: This research validates the high-value market for Boron-Doped Diamond (BDD) and high-quality Polycrystalline Diamond (PCD) films, core specialties of 6CCVD, for next-generation semiconductor and coating applications.

The following hard data points were extracted from the CAPD methodology used for Nanodiamond film deposition:

ParameterValueUnitContext
Deposition MethodCoaxial Arc Plasma Deposition (CAPD)N/APhysical Vapor Deposition (PVD)
Substrate TemperatureRoom Temperature°CAchieved without external heating
Chamber Pressure53.3PaOperating pressure during deposition
Arc Voltage100VApplied to the plasma gun
Repetition Rate (R.R.)5HzFrequency of arc plasma pulses
Capacitor Value720”FEnergy storage for plasma generation
Film Thickness (Example)400nmCross-section of N-UNCD/a-C:H layer
Electronic Substratep-Si (111)N/AUsed for heterojunction diode fabrication
Doping AgentsBoron (B), Nitrogen (N)N/AUsed to create p-type and n-type semiconductors

The research successfully utilized the CAPD method to grow Nanodiamond films, focusing on process simplification and material versatility:

  1. Deposition Technique: Nanodiamond (ND) films were grown using Coaxial Arc Plasma Deposition (CAPD), a Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD) technique, as an alternative to conventional Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD).
  2. Substrate Preparation: Unlike standard CVD, the CAPD method eliminated the requirement for substrate pretreatment, such as diamond powder seeding, simplifying the nucleation process.
  3. Thermal Conditions: Film deposition was performed at room temperature, significantly reducing the thermal budget and expanding the range of compatible substrate materials.
  4. Plasma Parameters: The arc plasma gun was operated using a 100 V voltage and a 5 Hz repetition rate, powered by a 720 ”F capacitor bank.
  5. Chamber Environment: The process utilized Hydrogen (H₂) gas within the chamber, maintaining a pressure of 53.3 Pa.
  6. Semiconductor Fabrication: Controlled doping was achieved by introducing Boron (B) and Nitrogen (N) to synthesize p-type and n-type ND semiconductors, respectively, enabling the fabrication of ND/Si heterojunction diodes.
  7. Substrate Diversity: ND films were successfully deposited on various engineering materials, including p-Si (111), Tungsten Carbide (WC-Co), Titanium, and Zirconia.

6CCVD specializes in high-quality MPCVD diamond materials that meet and exceed the requirements for advanced semiconductor, hard coating, and biomedical applications demonstrated in this research. While the paper used CAPD, 6CCVD’s scalable MPCVD process delivers superior purity, thickness control, and electronic performance, particularly for Boron-Doped Diamond (BDD).

Application Focus (Paper)6CCVD Material RecommendationTechnical Advantage
p-type SemiconductorsHeavy Boron-Doped Diamond (BDD)6CCVD BDD (PCD or SCD) offers highly stable, scalable p-type conductivity for high-performance heterojunctions and power electronics.
Hard Coatings / UNCD ReplicationHigh-Quality Polycrystalline Diamond (PCD)Custom PCD wafers up to 125mm diameter, providing exceptional hardness and wear resistance for industrial tools and protective coatings.
High-Efficiency PhotodetectionElectronic Grade Single Crystal Diamond (SCD)SCD films (0.1 ”m to 500 ”m) offer ultra-low defect density, crucial for maximizing rectification ratio and quantum efficiency in photodetectors.
Biomedical ImplantsHigh-Purity PCD or SCDBiocompatible diamond films with customizable surface finishes. 6CCVD offers polishing down to Ra < 1nm (SCD) for critical implant surfaces.

To replicate or advance the research presented, 6CCVD offers comprehensive customization services:

  • Custom Dimensions: While the paper focused on small samples, 6CCVD can supply PCD plates/wafers up to 125mm (5 inches) in diameter, enabling scalable production of hard coatings and large-area electronics.
  • Thickness Control: Precise control over film thickness is available, ranging from ultra-thin SCD/PCD layers (0.1 ”m) for heterojunctions to thick substrates (up to 10mm).
  • Metalization Services: The fabrication of functional diodes requires reliable ohmic and Schottky contacts. 6CCVD provides in-house metalization capabilities, including deposition of Au, Pt, Pd, Ti, W, and Cu, tailored to specific device requirements (e.g., Ti/Pt/Au stacks).
  • Substrate Flexibility: 6CCVD can deposit high-quality diamond films onto customer-supplied substrates, including Silicon (Si), Tungsten Carbide (WC-Co), Titanium, and Zirconia, ensuring seamless integration into existing device architectures.

6CCVD’s in-house PhD team specializes in diamond material science and device engineering. We offer expert consultation to assist researchers and engineers in selecting the optimal diamond grade (SCD, PCD, BDD) and processing parameters required for similar Diamond Semiconductor and Hard Coating projects. Our global shipping network ensures reliable delivery (DDU default, DDP available) of custom materials worldwide.

For custom specifications or material consultation, visit 6ccvd.com or contact our engineering team directly.

View Original Abstract

Nanodiamond (ND) films have a superior properties which are strongly depends on their unique structure.The applications of ND films mechanically, biomedically, and electronically are attributable to their advantageous properties including conformal coating properties, high surface smoothness, unique optical and electrical properties originate from a large number of grain boundaries (GBs).Nanodiamond films are mainly prepared by chemical vapor deposition (CVD).In CVD, the initial nucleation of diamond is required, specifically, a seeding procedure with diamond powders as a pretreatment of substrates prior to the film deposition, and high substrate temperature.On the other hand, we have successfully realized the growth of ND films by physical vapor deposition method, namely, coaxial arc plasma deposition (CAPD), without the pretreatment of substrates and at room temperature.In our research group, we realized the growth of nanodiamond films by CAPD method.We demonstrated the n-and p-type ND semeiconductors by Nitrogen and Boron doping, respectively.The fabricated ND/Si heterojunction diodes exhibited a high rectifying action and photodetection properties.Additionally, ND films depsoited on Tungsten carbide (WC-Co) for Hard coating applications.Furthermore, ND films are grown on titanium and zirconia substartes for biomedical appliations, including implants and artificial joints.Coaxial arc plasma deposition method, and Nanodiamond films deposited on different substrates for varrious applcations.