Processing of diamond films with azimuthal texture on silicon wafer for quantum systems

Diamond is a wide bandgap semiconductor possessing unique properties for applications in quantum systems and ultra-wide bandgap electronics, which require a fundamental understanding of processing of high-quality diamond crystals and textured films by microwave plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (MPECVD). The approach of bias-enhanced nucleation (BEN) followed by growth is studied for processing of oriented diamond film with azimuthal texture. The magnitude of the applied electric field is shown to play an important role in processing of the highly azimuthally textured diamond film on Si (100) substrate. The X-ray diffraction pole figure, scanning electron microscopy, and Raman spectroscopy results show that an optimum applied electric field during BEN and microwave plasma conditions lead to formation of diamond film with azimuthal texture upon growth by MPECVD. These results are promising for fabricating diamond films of optimum characteristics containing nitrogen vacancy (NV) defect centers for application in quantum devices.

Scanning electron micrograph showing oriented diamond film nucleated by biased enhanced nucleation and processed using microwave plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition on Si (100) wafer. A majority of the diamond crystal are oriented similarly in the x–y plane (azimuthal orientation) leading to high degree of pyramidal-shape texture.