US 12,442,104 B2
Nanocrystalline diamond with amorphous interfacial layer
Sze Chieh Tan, Singapore (SG); Vicknesh Sahmuganathan, Singapore (SG); Christian W. Valencia, Alhambra, CA (US); Thai Cheng Chua, Cupertino, CA (US); Masahiro Kawasaki, San Jose, CA (US); Jenn-Yue Wang, Santa Clara, CA (US); and John Sudijono, Singapore (SG)
Assigned to Applied Materials, Inc., Santa Clara, CA (US)
Filed by Applied Materials, Inc., Santa Clara, CA (US)
Filed on Apr. 20, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/137,069.
Prior Publication US 2024/0352621 A1, Oct. 24, 2024
Int. Cl. C30B 25/10 (2006.01); C30B 25/18 (2006.01); C30B 29/04 (2006.01)
CPC C30B 29/04 (2013.01) [C30B 25/10 (2013.01); C30B 25/186 (2013.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of forming a nanocrystalline diamond film, the method comprising:
exposing a silicon substrate to a first plasma from a first plasma source, the first plasma source comprising one or more of CxHy wherein y≥x, carbon dioxide (CO2), hydrogen (H2), nitrogen (N2), and argon (Ar) to provide an oxide rich amorphous interfacial layer directly on the icon substrate;
incubating the oxide-rich amorphoius interfacial layer directly on the silicon substrate with a gas stream and a second plasma to nucleate diamond particles and form a seeded substrate, the gas stream comprising a hydrocarbon; and
exposing the seeded substrate to a third plasma having a power greater than 50 W to form a nanocrystalline diamond film directly on the oxide-rich amorphous interfacial layer directly on the silicon substrate.