Carbon diffusion in uncoated and titanium nitride coated iron substrates during microwave plasma assisted chemical vapor deposition of diamond

Abstract

Auger electron spectroscopy has been employed to investigate the effectiveness of thin films of TiN as barriers to carbon diffusion during chemical vapor deposition (CVD) of diamond onto Fe substrates. Auger depth profiling was used to monitor the C concentration in the TiN layer, through the interface and into the substrate both before and after CVD diamond deposition. The results show that a layer of TiN only 250 Å thick is sufficient to inhibit soot formation on the Fe surface and C diffusion into the Fe bulk.