Published online by Cambridge University Press: 30 June 2011
A study is presented on nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) growth on different substrates, including silicon with and without different metallic interlayers, on aluminum nitride (AlN), and on a Si/AlN-based cantilever. It is shown that non-diamond substrate treatment prior to NCD growth is important for achieving high nucleation densities. AFM measurements reveal that an additional Si surface pretreatment with hydrogen plasma increases the nucleation density by a factor of four. A similar effect was indirectly demonstrated with acidic pretreatment of AlN. In both cases it is believed that the surface roughening is the key factor for explaining this phenomenon.