New perspectives in microwave plasma synthesis of doped diamond

The incorporation of active impurities, i.e. doping, is a key technology in the development of the future high electronic and quantum devices based on diamond. Synthesis of doped-diamond by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) have reached its limit using conventional growth parameters. Here, we propose to extend doping limits of diamond and to understand the relation between the properties of the plasma and the ones of doped-diamond using a new process parameter: time. Time-controlled, i.e. pulsed, microwave power was already shown to enhanced the growth and properties of PECVD diamond. We are going to study the effect of controlled pulsed injection of the precursor gases (PH3, B2H6 or B(CH3)3, and N2) and oxygen on the chemical reactions and properties of the plasma by optical emission spectroscopy and its impact on the properties of nitrogen, boron and phosphorus doped diamonds using well-established characterization methods available at the Institute of Physics C.A.S. This work also allows a new understanding of PECVD doped-diamond growth mechanisms.