Isotopic enrichment of diamond using microwave plasma-assisted chemical vapor deposition with high carbon conversion efficiency

Isotopically-controlled diamond crystals were grown using microwave plasma-assisted chemical vapor deposition. First, the highest carbon isotopic enrichment and their controllability were examined. Although the highest 12C isotopic ratio of 99.998% was achieved using methane with an isotopic ratio of 99.999%, the memory effect of an unintended carbon isotope was found to be considerable when the carbon isotopic ratio of feeding methane was tuned for isotopic multilayer formation. Secondly, a unique gas feeding sequence was proposed for increasing the carbon conversion efficiency from methane to diamond. Increasing the conversion efficiency is done by finding a suitable balance between the methane feeding rate and the carbon consumption rate for diamond growth. A high conversion efficiency of 70% was obtained for a polycrystalline diamond with a high 12C isotopic ratio of 99.997%.