title: Low-temperature growth of nanostructured diamond films.
abstract: Nanostructured diamond films are grown on a titanium alloy substrate using a two-step deposition process. The first step is performed at elevated temperature (820 degrees C) for 30 min using a H2/CH4/N2 gas mixture to grow a thin (approximately 600 nm) nanostructured diamond layer and to improve film adhesion. The remainder of the deposition involves growth at low temperature (< 600 degrees C) in a H2/CH4/O2 gas mixture. The continuation of the smooth nanostructured diamond film growth during low-temperature deposition is confirmed by in situ laser reflectance interferometry, atomic force microscopy, micro-Raman spectroscopy, and surface profilometry. Similar experiments performed without the initial nanostructured diamond layer resulted in poorly adhered films with a more crystalline appearance and a higher surface roughness. This low-temperature deposition of nanostructured diamond films on metals offers advantages in cases where high residual thermal stress leads to delamination at high temperatures.
authors.affiliation: Physics Department, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama 35294-1170, USA.
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Baker
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Catledge
authors.forename: Y K
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Vohra
mesh_terms: D000327:Adsorption; D000497:Alloys; D003460:Crystallization / Q000379:methods*; D018130:Diamond / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006244:Hardness; D006245:Hardness Tests; D006358:Hot Temperature; D007368:Interferometry; D008422:Materials Testing / Q000379:methods*; D018625:Microscopy, Atomic Force; D008968:Molecular Conformation; D036103:Nanotechnology / Q000379:methods*; D010316:Particle Size; D011786:Quality Control; D013059:Spectrum Analysis, Raman; D013499:Surface Properties; D013696:Temperature; D014025:Titanium / Q000737:chemistry*; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction
chemical_list: D000497:Alloys; C031462:titanium alloy (TiAl6V4); D018130:Diamond; D014025:Titanium