Precise characterization of atomic-scale corrosion of single crystal diamond in H2 plasma based on MEMS/NEMS

[Display omitted] •A strategy based on single crystal diamond (SCD) micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) to obtain characterization of atomic-scale etching of single crystal diamond in pure H2 plasma ambient is proposed.•An etching rate of several nm/h (a few carbon atomic layers) is obtained.•The etching of SCD by hydrogen helps the understanding of diamond growth and the stability of SCD.•The measurement technique based on MEMS/NEMS is also potentially useful in corrosion science for other materials etched with other reactive gases or mixtures (not limited to H2 plasma). It is well known that single crystal diamond (SCD) could be etched in hydrogen plasma ambient. However, the precise characterization of the corrosion behavior of SCD is not well understood. Here, we utilize the shift of single crystal diamond (SCD) cantilever’s resonance frequency to characterize the corrosion rate of SCD with (100) oriented surface in hydrogen plasma at the temperatures of 800−900 °C. The etching rate increased from ∼3.3 nm/hour at 800 °C to ∼7 nm/hour at 900 °C. This work helps understanding the stability of diamond for applications from mechanical to electronic devices as well as the dynamic growth of diamond.