DIAMOND DEPOSITION ON NI3GE SINGLE- AND POLYCRYSTALLINE SUBSTRATES

Abstract In order to find new materials for heteroepitaxial diamond growth Ni 3 Ge single- and polycrystalline wafers were produced and used as substrates for diamond deposition in a microwave plasma system. The cubic phase Ni 3 Ge substrate revealed to be an interesting and potential material for heteroepitaxial diamond chemical vapour deposition due to its: (1) lattice parameter matching within Low-pressure diamond was grown on the Ni 3 Ge wafers under various deposition conditions. The orientation of isolated diamond single crystals grown on the Ni 3 Ge substrate surface show that heteroepitaxial nucleation occurred. Diamond nucleation was low, as seeding methods to enhance nucleation were not used.