Patent ID: 6656444
Filing Date: 2003-12-02
Classification: C23C

Abstract:
A method for making diamond material comprising:providing a deposition chamber having a powered electrode spaced apart from a counterelectrode; placing a substrate in electrical contact with said powered electrode; sealing and evacuating said deposition chamber; admitting to said deposition chamber gases suitable for diamond deposition; heating said substrate to a diamond deposition temperature; applying RF energy at a frequency greater than 50 MHz and a power of at least 50 watts to said powered electrode to ignite a plasma between said powered electrode and said counterelectrode; increasing pressure of said gases in said deposition chamber to a diamond deposition pressure of greater than 20 Torr and increasing said power of said RF energy to maintain said plasma between said powered electrode and said counterelectrode to reach a diamond deposition power level; igniting and maintaining a plasma adjacent to a growth surface of said substrate such that said plasma extends no further than 1 mm from said growth surface of said substrate; and maintaining said diamond deposition temperature, said diamond deposition pressure and said diamond deposition power level during a diamond deposition time period.