Growth and Characteristics of Freestanding Hemispherical Diamond Films by Microwave Plasma Chemical Vapor Deposition

Freestanding hemispherical diamond films have been fabricated by microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition using graphite and molybdenum (Mo) as substrates. Characterized by Raman spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy, the crystalline quality of the films deposited on Mo is higher than that on graphite, which is attributed to the difference in intrinsic properties of the two substrates. By decreasing the methane concentration, the diamond films grown on the Mo substrate vary from black to white, and the optical transparency is enhanced. After polishing the growth side, the diamond films show an infrared transmittance of 35-60% in the range 400-4000 cm^-1.