Confocal Raman strain mapping of isolated single CVD diamond crystals

PI number of isolated single CVD (chemical vapour deposition) diamond crystals were mapped using confocal Raman microscopy at a spatial resolution of 1 mu m. Both square and triangular faceted crystals were included. It was found that, in general, regions of both types of crystals which corresponded to (111) growth sectors showed an overall shift of the diamond peak to low wavenumber, while the regions which corresponded to (100) growth sectors showed a shift to high wavenumber. This is interpreted as deriving from the presence of high concentrations of defects in the (111) growth sectors resulting in an overall tensile strain in these regions, and a compressive stress where these low density regions border the higher quality diamond from (100) growth sectors. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science S.A.