The study of diamond/TiC composite film by a DC-plasma-hot filament CVD

Diamond/TiC composite films were prepared on Si substrate by the direct current plasma hot filament chemical vapor deposition (HFCVD) using a gas mixture of methane, hydrogen and Ti[OC3H7](4) carried into the reactor by hydrogen. The films were prepared in an improved HFCVD system that a bias voltage can be added between the substrate and the cathode to form the plasma. The composite films were characterized by filed emission scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffractometer (XRD) and energy-dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX). It was observed that diamond nucleation together with composite film's deposition rate increased with application of proper bias voltage, as evident from the SEM micrographs. It was also found from EDX analysis that the content of titanium increased with the increase of the flux of the carrier gas. The diffraction peaks of the diamond and titanium carbide can be found from the XRD analysis of the composite films deposited on Si substrate. (C) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.