G. V. Saparin

Microcharacterization of CVD diamond films by scanning electron microscopy: morphology, structure and microdefects

Abstract This paper contains a survey of recent papers on the scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of CVD diamond films. Two analytical possibilities of the SEM instrument are discussed: the morphological investigations (secondary electron emission mode) and the recognition of impurities and defects (cathodoluminescence mode). Examination of the diamond films by SEM demonstrates that the morphologies of these films are affected by synthesis conditions, especially the substrate temperature, the methane concentration and the total pressure in the reactor. Cathodoluminescence spectra and images are a useful tool for clarifying the relationship between emission centres and different types of defects generated during the process of growing diamond crystals. The aim of this paper is to show that investigations of the morphology, crystallinity and local cathodoluminescence emission of CVD diamond films by SEM led to correlative information about the quality of these films in comparison with natural diamond.

Cathodoluminescent contrast of direct writing patterns in the scanning electron microscope

Abstract Time dependences of local cathodoluminescence (CL) intensity for some materials and a CL contrast of direct writing patterns by means of the scanning electron microscope (SEM) have been investigated. Two types of CL contrast corresponding to decreasing or increasing of quantum yield of the investigated materials were discovered.