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EP0348026A1 Expired / Lapsed EP ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Diamond growth on a substrate using microwave energy

Assignee: De Beers Industrial Diamond Division Pty Ltd
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Filing: 1989-04-27
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2009-04-27
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Abstract

Abstract Crystalline diamond is grown on a substrate (26) by placing the substrate (26) on a nitride surface (14) which completely covers a graphite support (12), creating an atmosphere of a gaseous carbon compound around the substrate (26), bringing the temperature of the nitride surface (14) and the substrate (26) to at least 600°C, and subjecting the gaseous carbon compound to microwave energy suitable to cause the compound to decompose and produce carbon which deposits on the substrate and forms crystalline diamond thereon.

Inventors

  • 👤 Barbara Lynn Jones

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction EP
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-30 17:09
CPC Classifications
C; C23; C23C; C23C16/00; C23C16/22; C23C16/26; C23C16/27; C23C16/274; C30; C30B; C30B25/00; C30B25/02; C23C16/44; C23C16/46; C23C16/48; C30B25/10; C30B25/105; C30B29/00; C30B29/02; C30B29/04; H; H10; H10P; H10P14/00; H10P14/20; H10P14/29; H10P14/2901; H10P14/2907; H10P14/2908; H10P14/34; H10P14/3402; H10P14/3404; H10P14/3406; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S427/00; Y10S427/103

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim 88 words
A method of growing crystalline diamond on a substrate (26) includes the steps of providing a surface (14) of a suitable nitride, placing the substrate (26) on the nitride surface (14), creating an atmosphere (18) of a gaseous carbon compound around the substrate, bringing the temperature of the nitride surface (14) and substrate (26) to at least 600°C, and subjecting the gaseous carbon compound to microwave energy suitable to cause the compound to decompose and produce carbon which deposits on the substrate (26) and forms crystalline diamond thereon.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 88 words
A method of growing crystalline diamond on a substrate (26) includes the steps of providing a surface (14) of a suitable nitride, placing the substrate (26) on the nitride surface (14), creating an atmosphere (18) of a gaseous carbon compound around the substrate, bringing the temperature of the nitride surface (14) and substrate (26) to at least 600°C, and subjecting the gaseous carbon compound to microwave energy suitable to cause the compound to decompose and produce carbon which deposits on the substrate (26) and forms crystalline diamond thereon.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 23 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein the nitride is selected from silicon nitride, aluminium nitride, titanium nitride, tantalum nitride and the like.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 12 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein the nitride is silicon nitride.
Claim 5
Independent Claim 20 words
A method according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the nitride surface (14) completely covers a support (12).
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 15 words
A method according to claim 4 wherein the support (12) is a microwave energy sink.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 14 words
A method according to claim 5 wherein the support (12) is a graphite support.
Claim 8
Independent Claim 47 words
A method according to any one of the preceding claims wherein nitride surface (14) and the substrate (26) are maintained at a temperature of 600 to 1000°C during the time when the decomposition of the carbon compound and deposition of carbon on the substrate (26) take place.
Claim 9
Independent Claim 25 words
A method according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the substrate (26) is maintained at a higher temperature than the nitride surface (14).
Claim 10
Independent Claim 26 words
A method according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the frequency of the microwave energy is in the range 200 MHz to 90 GHz.
Claim 11
Independent Claim 24 words
A method according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the microwave energy is maintained for a period of at least several hours.
Claim 12
Independent Claim 24 words
A method according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the microwave energy is maintained for a period of 2 to 10 hours.
Claim 13
Independent Claim 17 words
A method according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the carbon compound is a hydrocarbon.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 11 words
A method according to claim 12 wherein the hydrocarbon is methane.
Claim 15
Independent Claim 25 words
A method according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the carbon compound forms part of a mixture of it with a reducing gas.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 12 words
A method according to claim 14 wherein the reducing gas is hydrogen.
Claim 17
Independent Claim 16 words
A method according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the substrate (26) is crystalline.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 13 words
A method according to claim 16 wherein the crystalline substrate (26) is diamond.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 18 words
A method according to claim 17 wherein crystalline diamond formed on the substrate (26) is of type IIa.
Claim 20
Independent Claim 20 words
A method according to any one of claims 1 to 15 wherein the substrate (26) is amorphous, glass or metal.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 16 words
A diamond body comprising a layer of diamond of type IIa joined to a diamond substrate.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim 16 words
A diamond body comprising a layer of diamond of type IIa joined to a diamond substrate.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim 16 words
A diamond body according to claim 20 wherein the diamond substrate is diamond of type Ia.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim 16 words
A diamond body according to claim 20 or claim 21 for use in a heat sink.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

EP0136408A1 Cited

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