Distribution in angular mismatch between crystallites in diamond films grown in microwave plasma

High resolution electron backscattered diffraction (EBSD) has been used for analysis of grain size, texture and stress distribution on growth side of free-standing polycrystalline diamond films of different grade. The undoped and moderate boron-doped films of 0.3–0.5 mm thickness were grown by microwave plasma CVD. The highest number of stressed domains, mostly located at grain boundaries, and the largest average grain misorientation angle (θ ≈ 6°) have been found for B-doped film. Highly defected and highly [001] oriented “black” diamond exhibited much more rear stress domains, this being ascribed to angular mismatch as small as θ = 0.5° in that film. The samples of “white” diamond showed somewhat intermediate pictures, with stress observed both in bulk and on grain boundaries. Evolution of texture (columnar growth) and stress distribution with film thickness has been observed with EBSD study of film cross-sections.