Thin film deposition of diamond using normal paraffins as source of diamond nucleation centers

We propose a process for diamond thin film (DTF) deposition using normal paraffins (nP) as source of diamond nucleation centers. We deposited micro-crystalline diamond thin films (MCDTF) on a Cu substrate using Hot Filament CVD (HFCVD) and Passive Pt/Pd Surface Catalysis (PPt/PdSC) methods. Beeswax and a 1:1 mixture of normal paraffins of the general formula CH3(CH2)nCH3 with n = 22 and 26 were tested as nP starting material. The films obtained were characterized by scanning electronic microscopy (SEM), Raman scattering temperature dependent spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction (XRD) methods, all of which confirmed that the deposited material is MCDTF.

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► Paraffin compounds are diamond nucleation sources.
► Thermoconductivity of Cu–DTF device is higher than such conductivity of Cu.
► DTF growth in HFCVD reactor is not linear function of time.