Project R-4083

Linear antenna microwave chemical vapour deposition (LA MW CVD) apparatus (Research)

This project proposal is focussed on the fundamentals and applications of diamond deposition using a linear antenna microwave chemical vapour deposition (LA MW CVD) system. This technique encompasses a novel method for growth of nanocrystalline (NCD) CVD diamond films with a high sp3/sp2 content ratio. Linear antenna plasma applicators provide a scalable concept of diamond growing plasmas towards large areas, essential for advanced applications in fields like microelectronics (because of the compatibility with existing wafer processing technologies), biosensors, and medical implants. In addition, the combination of linear antenna applicators with pulsed mode microwave sources, allows a lowering of growth temperature well below 500 °C, which is the limit for many applications in the microelectronics industry that use temperature sensitive circuits or substrate materials. Research will focus on a fundamental aspects like growth speed enhancement, lowering of deposition temperature, and increase of doping efficiency. Applied aspects are the use of functional diamond layers for energy conversion and harvesting, and (bio)(medical)-related applications.

01 September 2012 - 31 October 2018