Abstract
Diamond was synthesized using the in-liquid microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition (IL-MPCVD) as a novel method for synthesizing diamond on various base materials. Microwaves of 2.45 GHz generated plasma in a solution which was comprised of methanol: ethanol (M:E = 97:3). Evaluation of deposited diamond films was done by a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and Raman spectroscopy. Results shows that the IL-MPCVD method can form diamond films on Cu, Si and Fe substrates. The minimum time of film formation of Cu, Si and Fe are 2.5, 3.5 and 5 minutes, respectively. The material that forms carbide layers such as Si is a better substrate to form diamond film by the IL-MPCVD than other metal substrates such as Cu and Fe. The effect of carbon diffusion influences diamond film nucleation and diamond growth. In order to alleviate the carbon diffusion and improve the quality of the diamond film on the Fe substrate, Si has been sputtered on the Fe substrate as an interlayer. It is found that the diamond film can be formed on a Fe substrate using a Si interlayer and that heat treatment and thickening the interlayer improve its quality.
