The mechanism of diamond nucleation from energetic species

Y. Lifshitz, Th Köhler, Th Frauenheim, I. Guzmann, A. Hoffman, R. Q. Zhang, X. T. Zhou, S. T. Lee

Research output: Journal Publications and ReviewsRGC 21 - Publication in refereed journalpeer-review

211 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

A model for diamond nucleation by energetic species (for example, bias-enhanced nucleation) is proposed. It involves spontaneous bulk nucleation of a diamond embryo cluster in a dense, amorphous carbon hydrogenated matrix; stabilization of the cluster by favorable boundary conditions of nucleation sites and hydrogen termination; and ion bombardment-induced growth through a preferential displacement mechanism. The model is substantiated by density functional tight-binding molecular dynamics simulations and an experimental study of the structure of bias-enhanced and ion beam-nucleated films. The model is also applicable to the nucleation of other materials by energetic species, such as cubic boron nitride.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1531-1533
JournalScience
Volume297
Issue number5586
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 30 Aug 2002

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