Retraction Note to - The Impact of Improved Nucleation Layer on the Properties of Boron-Doped Diamond Films

At a Glance

Metadata	Details
Publication Date	2023-07-17
Journal	Journal of Inorganic and Organometallic Polymers and Materials
Authors	Parisa Azadfar, M. Ghoranneviss, Seyed Mohammad Elahi, A. Salar Elahi, A. Salar Elahi
Institutions	Islamic Azad University, Science and Research Branch
Analysis	Full AI Review Included

Technical Documentation & Analysis: Boron-Doped Diamond Films

This analysis focuses on the critical material requirements implied by the research topic, “The Impact of Improved Nucleation Layer on the Properties of Boron-Doped Diamond Films,” and leverages 6CCVD’s expertise in high-quality, verifiable MPCVD diamond materials, particularly Boron-Doped Diamond (BDD).

Executive Summary

The retracted research highlights the critical importance of controlling the nucleation layer for achieving optimal properties in Boron-Doped Diamond (BDD) films, a material essential for advanced electrochemical and semiconductor applications.

Core Application Focus: Optimization of BDD films, which are crucial for high-performance electrodes, sensing, and solid-state electronics.
Technical Challenge: Achieving highly uniform, reproducible BDD films requires meticulous control over the initial diamond nucleation density and subsequent doping profile.
6CCVD Material Solution: We specialize in producing highly controlled BDD films (PCD and SCD) via MPCVD, ensuring superior crystalline quality and consistent electrical properties.
Quality Assurance: 6CCVD provides verified materials with guaranteed specifications, directly addressing the need for reliable, reproducible research inputs.
Customization Advantage: We offer custom thicknesses (0.1 µm to 500 µm) and large-area substrates (up to 125 mm) to meet specific device integration requirements.
Process Control: Our proprietary nucleation techniques ensure optimal film adhesion and morphology, critical for maximizing the performance of the BDD layer.

Technical Specifications

Since the original technical data is unavailable due to the retraction, the table below outlines the typical specifications and capabilities 6CCVD offers for high-quality Boron-Doped Diamond (BDD) films required for this class of research.

Parameter	Value (6CCVD Capability)	Unit	Context (Relevance to BDD Films)
Material Type	Boron-Doped Diamond (BDD)	N/A	Essential for electrochemical and conductive applications.
Maximum Substrate Size	Up to 125	mm	Supports large-area device fabrication (PCD).
Film Thickness Range	0.1 to 500	µm	Customizable for thin-film sensors or robust electrodes.
Surface Roughness (PCD)	Ra < 5	nm	Critical for uniform nucleation and subsequent device integration.
Surface Roughness (SCD)	Ra < 1	nm	Required for high-end electronic and optical applications.
Doping Concentration	10¹⁸ to 10²¹	atoms/cm³	Controls the conductivity (metallic to semiconducting regime).
Resistivity Range	10^-3 to 10⁵	Ω·cm	Achieved through precise control of the B/C ratio during growth.
Metalization Options	Au, Pt, Pd, Ti, W, Cu	N/A	Available for ohmic contact formation and electrode patterning.

Key Methodologies

Replicating or extending research on BDD films requires stringent control over the MPCVD process, particularly concerning the nucleation and doping steps. 6CCVD employs the following critical methodologies to ensure high-quality BDD material:

Advanced Substrate Pre-treatment: Utilizing proprietary cleaning and etching protocols to prepare the substrate surface, ensuring optimal chemical termination prior to seeding.
Controlled Nucleation Layer Deposition: Implementation of highly uniform seeding techniques (e.g., nano-diamond slurry or bias-enhanced nucleation) to achieve the required nucleation density and crystal orientation for subsequent BDD growth.
Precise Gas Phase Doping: Introduction of boron precursors (e.g., B₂H₆ or TMB) into the standard CH₄/H₂ MPCVD plasma, with real-time monitoring to maintain a stable and accurate B/C ratio.
High-Temperature, Low-Pressure Growth: Maintaining optimal substrate temperatures (typically 750 °C to 1000 °C) and pressure regimes to maximize diamond phase purity and minimize non-diamond carbon incorporation.
Post-Growth Characterization: Comprehensive analysis using Raman spectroscopy, SEM, and Hall effect measurements to verify crystal quality, doping level, and electrical uniformity across the entire wafer.

6CCVD Solutions & Capabilities

6CCVD is uniquely positioned to supply the high-quality, verifiable Boron-Doped Diamond materials necessary to advance research in electrochemical and electronic applications, ensuring data integrity and reproducibility.

Applicable Materials	Customization Potential	Engineering Support & Value Proposition
Boron-Doped Diamond (BDD): Available in both Polycrystalline (PCD) and Single Crystal (SCD) formats.	Custom Dimensions: Plates and wafers available up to 125 mm diameter (PCD) and custom shapes via laser cutting.	Material Verification: We provide full characterization data (e.g., resistivity mapping, Raman purity) to guarantee material specifications, mitigating the risk of unverified inputs.
High Purity SCD Substrates: For epitaxial growth of BDD layers requiring extremely low defect density and high crystal quality.	Thickness Control: Precise control over film thickness from 0.1 µm (for thin-film devices) to 500 µm (for robust electrodes).	Nucleation Optimization: Our in-house experts can consult on optimal substrate preparation and nucleation layer strategies to achieve specific crystal orientations or grain sizes.
Heavy Boron Doped PCD: Ideal for high-conductivity electrodes and robust electrochemical sensing platforms.	Custom Metalization: Internal capability for depositing critical contact layers (Ti/Pt/Au, W/Cu, etc.) directly onto the BDD surface, accelerating device prototyping.	Global Logistics: Reliable global shipping (DDU default, DDP available) ensures timely delivery of sensitive materials worldwide.

6CCVD provides the reliable foundation required for cutting-edge diamond research. Our commitment to quality control and verified material specifications ensures that your research results are reproducible and trustworthy.

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

Tech Support

Original Source

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10904-023-02794-7