Laser-driven plasma CVD of thin films

A novel technique for CVD synthesis of materials, that does not demand a vacuum chamber and provides high deposition rates, have been developed. It is based on CW CO2-laser maintenance of a stationary optical discharge in a gas stream, exhausting over a substrate into the air. Nano- and polycrystalline diamond films were deposited on tungsten substrates from atmospherics pressure Xe(Ar):H2:CH4 gas mixtures at flow rates 2 1/min. 2,5 kW CO2-laser focused beam produced plasma. Deposition area was about 1 cm2 and growth rates up to 30-50 micrometers /hour. Peculiarities and advantages of laser plasmatrons are discussed.© (1998) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.