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Two 3C-SiC(100) reconstructed surfaces have been exposed to bias enhanced nucleation (BEN) treatments performed in a microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition reactor. For both BEN steps, a significant enhancement of the diamond nucleation density has been observed on the initial C-terminated surface compared to the Si-rich surface. Samples have been characterized by in situ surface analysis, namely, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and x-ray Auger electron spectroscopy, and by field emission gun scanning electron microscopy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The mechanisms involved in the diamond nucleation on 3C–SiC surfaces have been investigated using a sequential in situ approach using electron spectroscopies (XPS, XAES and ELS). Moreover, diamond crystals have been studied by HRSEM. The in situ nucleation treatment allows a high diamond nucleation density close to 4×1010 cm− 2. During the in situ enhanced nucleation treatment under plasma, a negative bias was applied to the sample. The formation of an amorphous carbon phase and the roughening of the 3C–SiC surface have been observed. The part of these competing mechanisms in diamond nucleation is discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]