Method of plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition of diamond using methanol-based solutions
First Claim
1. A method of forming diamond comprising:
- a) providing a substrate in a reaction chamber in a non-magnetic-field microwave plasma system;
b) providing, in the absence of a gas stream, a liquid precursor substantially free of water and containing methanol and at least one carbon and oxygen containing compound having a carbon to oxygen ratio greater than one, to a metering valve associated with an inlet of the reaction chamber, wherein the amount of the methanol is greater than the amount of the at least one carbon and oxygen containing compound;
c) passing liquid precursor into the reaction chamber inlet with the metering valve wherein the liquid precursor enters the metering valve as liquid and vaporizes during entry into the reaction chamber inlet to generate vaporized precursor; and
d) subjecting the vaporized precursor, in the absence of a carrier gas and in the absence of a reactive gas, to a plasma under conditions effective to disassociate the vaporized precursor and promote diamond growth on the substrate in a pressure range from about 70 to 130 Torr.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Briefly described, methods of forming diamond are described. A representative method, among others, includes: providing a substrate in a reaction chamber in a non-magnetic-field microwave plasma system; introducing, in the absence of a gas stream, a liquid precursor substantially free of water and containing methanol and at least one carbon and oxygen containing compound having a carbon to oxygen ratio greater than one, into an inlet of the reaction chamber; vaporizing the liquid precursor; and subjecting the vaporized precursor, in the absence of a carrier gas and in the absence in a reactive gas, to a plasma under conditions effective to disassociate the vaporized precursor and promote diamond growth on the substrate in a pressure range from about 70 to 130 Torr.
5 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A method of forming diamond comprising:
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a) providing a substrate in a reaction chamber in a non-magnetic-field microwave plasma system; b) providing, in the absence of a gas stream, a liquid precursor substantially free of water and containing methanol and at least one carbon and oxygen containing compound having a carbon to oxygen ratio greater than one, to a metering valve associated with an inlet of the reaction chamber, wherein the amount of the methanol is greater than the amount of the at least one carbon and oxygen containing compound; c) passing liquid precursor into the reaction chamber inlet with the metering valve wherein the liquid precursor enters the metering valve as liquid and vaporizes during entry into the reaction chamber inlet to generate vaporized precursor; and d) subjecting the vaporized precursor, in the absence of a carrier gas and in the absence of a reactive gas, to a plasma under conditions effective to disassociate the vaporized precursor and promote diamond growth on the substrate in a pressure range from about 70 to 130 Torr. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method of forming diamond comprising:
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a) providing a substrate in a reaction chamber in a non-magnetic-field microwave plasma system, the reaction chamber being in fluidic communication with a container through a metering valve, wherein the container includes a liquid precursor substantially free of water containing methanol and at least one carbon and oxygen containing compound having a carbon to oxygen ratio greater than one, wherein the amount of the methanol is greater than the amount of the at least one carbon and oxygen containing compound; b) flowing the liquid precursor into the reaction chamber using the metering valve, in the absence of a gas stream flowing through the metering valve entraining the liquid precursor, wherein the liquid precursor enters the metering valve as liquid and vaporizes during entry into the reaction chamber; c) subjecting the vaporized precursor to a plasma under conditions effective to disassociate the vaporized precursor in the absence of a carrier gas and in the absence of a reactive gas; and d) promoting diamond growth on the substrate at a pressure in the range from about 10 to 130 Torr. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A method of forming diamond without seeding comprising:
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a) providing an unseeded substrate in a reaction chamber in a non-magnetic-field microwave plasma system, the reaction chamber being in fluidic communication with a container through a metering valve, wherein the container includes a liquid precursor substantially free of water containing methanol and at least one carbon and oxygen containing compound having a carbon to oxygen ratio greater than one, wherein the amount of the methanol is greater than the amount of the at least one carbon and oxygen containing compound; b) supplying the liquid precursor into the reaction chamber without interrupting formation of the diamond using the metering valve, in the absence of a gas stream flowing through the metering valve entraining the liquid precursor, wherein the liquid precursor enters the metering valve as liquid and vaporizes during entry into the reaction chamber; c) subjecting the vaporized precursor to a plasma under conditions effective to disassociate the vaporized precursor in the absence of a carrier gas and in the absence of a reactive gas; and d) promoting diamond growth on the substrate at a pressure in the range from about 10 to 130 Torr.
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Specification