Hydrogen-free CVD diamond synthesis

A wide band gap semiconductor, diamond, has recently emerged as an important and promising material for a wide field of optoelectronic and electronic applications. In traditional CVD diamond synthesis, we thought that hydrogen radicals were inevitable. But, in this work, we are trying to synthesize diamond particles without hydrogen, in a process we call “hydrogen-free diamond synthesis”. Graphite rods were used as heaters and, at the same time, carbon sources. In argon or helium atmospheres, completely free from hydrogen, diamond particles were synthesized and confirmed with SEM photographs and Raman spectra for the first time. OES (Optical Emission Spectroscopy) results will be presented.