Highly phosphorus-doped polycrystalline diamond growth and properties

In this work, phosphorus-doped polycrystalline diamond layers were grown using a new gas control process to increase the incorporation of phosphorus in diamond. Topographical characteristics and crystalline quality of the phosphorus-doped polycrystalline diamond layers grown on Si substrates were analyzed using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Raman spectroscopy. The phosphorus concentration was determined using Glow-Discharge Optical Emission Spectroscopy (GDOES). Polycrystalline diamond layers have a good crystalline quality with a sp3/sp2 carbon ration over 75%. The growth rate reaches up to 440 nm∙h−1, and the phosphorus concentration is well above 1020 cm−3. This work reports on a new method for the production of phosphorus-doped polycrystalline diamond layers based on the pulsed injection of methane during the growth by microwave plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition. [Display omitted] •Polycrystalline phosphorus-doped diamond growth using pulsed methane injection•High crystalline quality achieved using pulsed and continuous methane injection•Higher growth rate at low power conditions using pulsed methane injection•Twice higher phosphorus incorporation using pulsed methane injection