The Role of Germanium in the Plasma Chemical Synthesis of Nano and Micro-Diamonds
摘要
Abstract
In this work, the synthesis of nano and micro-diamonds on the surface of a graphite cathode was carried out using argon−germanium plasma. Evaporation of germanium atoms was carried out from the surface of a graphite rod, which served as an anode for arc discharge. Germanium atoms served as a catalyst for the growth of nano and micro-diamonds. The experiments were carried out at an arc current of 150 A and argon pressure of about 400 Torr. Electron microscopic images showed that the characteristic structure of these diamonds had a face in the form of a rectangle, with four irregular hexagons adjacent to its edges. The sizes of micro-diamonds range from 500 nm to 5 microns.