Published online by Cambridge University Press: 15 July 2000
p-type (100) faceted diamond films can be successfully grown by bubbling H2 through liquid B(OCH3)3 during the Microwave Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapour Deposition (MPCVD). Ramann spectra and scanning electron micrographs (SEM) convincingly illustrate that diamond-film growth on silicon substrates by a three-step process yields good uniformity with preferential orientation. The field emission current density of the boron doped diamond films can be enhanced from 0.7 μA/cm2 for the as grown films to 140 μA/cm2 at an applied field of 20 V/μm by hydrogenation treatment.