Method for the direct patterning of diamond films

A method of forming a patterned, poly-crystalline diamond film on a substrate, comprising:

• applying to a substrate a photoresist layer;
• exposing said photoresist layer to electromagnetic radiation through a mask;
• applying to said photoresist layer a diamond powder layer, said diamond powder layer including diamond particles;
• developing said photoresist layer sufficiently to form a developed photoresist layer;
• heating the substrate, developed photoresist layer, and diamond powder layer in a processing apparatus, said heating step causing said developed photoresist layer to carbonize;
• introducing a mixture of gases into said apparatus, said mixture of gases including carbon-containing and hydrogen-containing gases;
• and
• decomposing said mixture of gases in said apparatus, whereby said hydrogen-containing gases remove said carbonized photoresist layer, and whereby carbon in said carbon-containing gases combines with said diamond particles forming diamond structures on said substrate.

A method of forming a continuous, poly-crystalline diamond film on a substrate, comprising:

• applying to a substrate a photoresist layer;
• applying to said photoresist layer a diamond powder layer, said diamond powder layer including diamond particles;
• heating the substrate, photoresist layer, and diamond powder layer in a processing apparatus, said heating step causing said photoresist layer to carbonize;
• introducing a mixture of gases into said apparatus, said mixture of gases including carbon-containing and hydrogen-containing gases;
• and
• decomposing said mixture of gases in said apparatus, whereby said hydrogen-containing gases remove said carbonized photoresist layer, and whereby carbon in said carbon-containing gases combines with said diamond particles forming a diamond film on said substrate.

A method of forming a patterned, poly-crystalline diamond film on a substrate, comprising:

• applying a photoresist layer to a silicon substrate;
• applying to said photoresist layer a diamond powder layer, said diamond powder layer formed from diamond particles having an average diameter of 0.1 microns;
• exposing said photoresist layer and diamond powder layer to Ultra-Violet light through a mask;
• developing said photoresist layer sufficiently to form a developed photoresist layer;
• heating the substrate, developed photoresist layer, and diamond powder layer in a deposition chamber, said heating step causing said developed photoresist layer to carbonize;
• introducing a mixture of gases into said chamber, said mixture of gases including a diatomic hydrogen gas and a hydrocarbon gas;
• and
• decomposing said mixture of gases in said chamber, whereby hydrogen removes said carbonized photoresist layer, and whereby carbon in said hydrocarbon gas combines with said diamond particles forming diamond structures on said substrate.