Facet dependent reactivity and selective deposition of nanometer sized Β-SiC on diamond surfaces

Selective deposition of nano- Β-SiC on non-{100} diamond faces has been observed in a microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition process due to the presence of Si (C H3)4 in the gas phase. The process allows only the growth of diamond starting crystals whose [001] is normal to the film surface and interrupts the growth of otherwise oriented grains; this is due to the preferential deposition of Si H3 on {111} diamond but not on {001} diamond according to additional theoretical reactivity analysis of the gas species on the exposed diamond surfaces. The facet dependent reactivity facilitates control of diamond/ Β-SiC nanocomposite film growth. © 2008 American Institute of Physics.