Characterization of silicon films grown by atomic layer deposition on nanocrystalline diamond

Ultrathin silicon films were deposited on nanocrystalline diamonds by means of atomic layer deposition (ALD) from gaseous monosilane. The silicon deposition was achieved through the sequential reaction of SiH4 saturated adsorption and in-site pyrogenation. X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high-resolution electron microscopy (HREM) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra were utilized to investigate the structure and the morphology of Si-coated nanocrystalline diamonds. The results confirmed that continuous silicon films were successfully deposited on both basal planes and edges of nanocrystalline diamond particles by this ALD method and the structure of the film was mainly determined by deposition temperature and deposition cycle.