This Phase I Small Business Innovation Research Project will grow large area single crystal diamond films. In this approach, diamond will grow by a chemical vapor deposition process on a liquid substrate. This is to replace the conventional growth on solid substrate approach. The utilities of the liquid substrate are its ideal smoothness, and its amorphosity (and therefore an absence of grain boundaries). Liquid substrate provides a high mobility for carbon to facilitate an aggregation on two levels: (I) carbon atoms migrate on the liquid surface to form diamond crystallites, and, (II) the floating diamond crystallites coalesce to form a large single crystal. Thus, the present approach represents a basic alteration from the conventional solid substrate and an opportunity to grow large area single crystal diamond is provided. Successfully grown large area single crystal diamond films will be essential to a realization of diamond electronic devices and integral circuits.
