碳源对化学气相沉积金刚石膜生长的影响：从C&#x02014;H&#x02014;O相图到性能调控

李成明; 邹宗权; 任飞桐; 宋志强; 陈良贤; 魏俊俊; 刘金龙

doi:10.16490/j.cnki.issn.1001-3660.2026.08.015

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表面技术 ›› 2026, Vol. 55 ›› Issue (8) : 186-196. DOI: 10.16490/j.cnki.issn.1001-3660.2026.08.015

功能表面及技术

碳源对化学气相沉积金刚石膜生长的影响：从C—H—O相图到性能调控

李成明^1,2,*, 邹宗权^1,2, 任飞桐¹, 宋志强^1,2, 陈良贤^1,*, 魏俊俊^1,2, 刘金龙^1,2

作者信息 +

Influence of Carbon Sources on Growth of Diamond Films by Chemical Vapor Deposition: From C—H—O Phase Diagram to Property Regulation

LI Chengming^1,2,*, ZOU Zongquan^1,2, REN Feitong¹, SONG Zhiqiang^1,2, CHEN Liangxian^1,*, WEI Junjun^1,2, LIU Jinlong^1,2

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文章历史 +

摘要

化学气相沉积（Chemical Vapor Deposition,CVD）金刚石因其优异的物理和化学性能,在机械、热学及新兴的微电子和光电子领域展现出巨大的应用潜力。然而,实现金刚石膜生长速率与晶体质量之间的协同优化仍是CVD技术面临的重大挑战,其中碳源的选择作为调控C—H—O反应体系的核心,是应对这一挑战的关键。本文聚焦于碳源对CVD金刚石膜生长的影响机制及进展,首先从C—H—O相图的理论基础出发,阐述了不同碳源（如CH₄、C₂H₅OH、CH₃COCH₃等）如何通过改变气相化学环境来影响金刚石的形核与生长。随后,分析了各类碳源在CVD工艺下的表现,重点对比了它们对金刚石膜生长、晶体质量、缺陷密度及表面形貌的影响规律,揭示了“高质量”与“高速率”之间的内在权衡关系。最后,本文基于现有研究,提出面向不同应用场景（如光学窗口、热沉、电子器件）的碳源选择策略与工艺优化方向,不仅为深入理解碳源在CVD金刚石生长中的作用机理提供了系统性的视角,也为科研人员和工程师优化沉积工艺、开发高性能金刚石膜提供了理论参考和实践指导。

Abstract

Chemical vapor deposition (CVD) diamond has emerged as a focal point in materials science research due to its exceptional physical and chemical properties, which include extreme hardness, high thermal conductivity, wide bandgap, and excellent chemical inertness. Consequently, it exhibits immense application potential not only in traditional mechanical fields but also in advanced thermal management, as well as in the rapidly developing microelectronics and optoelectronics sectors. However, a critical bottleneck in CVD technology remains. There is an inherent trade-off between the growth rate of diamond films and their crystal quality. Achieving a synergistic optimization of these two parameters is recognized as a major challenge. Within the C—H—O reaction system, the selection of carbon sources serves as the core regulatory factor and is considered the key to resolving this challenge.
This paper provides a comprehensive review of the influence mechanisms and recent research progress regarding carbon sources in the growth of CVD diamond films. Initially, the theoretical foundation of the C—H—O ternary phase diagram is established to delineate the thermodynamic boundaries for diamond deposition. Subsequently, the principles, advantages, and limitations of mainstream CVD techniques, including Hot Filament Chemical Vapor Deposition (HFCVD), Microwave Plasma Chemical Vapor Deposition (MPCVD), and Radio Frequency Plasma Chemical Vapor Deposition (RFCVD), are systematically introduced and compared. By integrating the pyrolysis mechanisms of carbon sources with the C—H—O phase diagram, the ways in which different carbon sources (such as methane, ethanol, and acetone) modulate the gas-phase chemical environment are elucidated. It is noted that the specific elemental compositions (C, H, O) of these precursors play a distinct role in the generation of active radicals, thereby fundamentally influencing the nucleation density and subsequent growth processes of the diamond.
Furthermore, the deposition behaviors of various carbon sources, specifically methane, ethanol, acetone, and methanol, are comparatively analyzed under typical CVD process conditions. Emphasis is placed on the comparative evaluation of the growth rate, crystal quality, defect density, and surface morphology. The results indicate significant differences in film characteristics. In terms of grain size, films deposited with methane are characterized by the finest grains, whereas those deposited with ethanol exhibit the coarsest grain structure. Regarding the growth rate, oxygen-containing carbon sources such as ethanol and acetone demonstrate a marked advantage over pure hydrocarbons, which is attributed to the etching effect of oxygen species on non-diamond carbon and the enhancement of active radical concentration. Moreover, variations in crystallographic orientation are observed; the difference in oxygen content among the carbon sources is found to promote the growth of the (100) crystal face. This variation in preferred orientation subsequently leads to distinctions in mechanical properties, such as fracture strength and wear resistance. It is emphasized that there is no absolute superiority among different carbon sources; rather, a balance between "high quality" and "high growth rate" must be struck according to the specific application requirements.
Finally, based on a synthesis of existing research, strategies for carbon source selection and process optimization are proposed, tailored for distinct application scenarios such as optical windows, heat sinks, and electronic devices. This review not only provides a systematic perspective for deepening the understanding of carbon source mechanisms in CVD diamond growth but also offers valuable theoretical references and practical guidance for researchers and engineers aiming to optimize deposition processes and develop high-performance diamond films.

导出引用

李成明, 邹宗权, 任飞桐, 宋志强, 陈良贤, 魏俊俊, 刘金龙. 碳源对化学气相沉积金刚石膜生长的影响：从C—H—O相图到性能调控[J]. 表面技术. 2026, 55(8): 186-196

LI Chengming, ZOU Zongquan, REN Feitong, SONG Zhiqiang, CHEN Liangxian, WEI Junjun, LIU Jinlong. Influence of Carbon Sources on Growth of Diamond Films by Chemical Vapor Deposition: From C—H—O Phase Diagram to Property Regulation[J]. Surface Technology. 2026, 55(8): 186-196

中图分类号： O484

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