Process for selectively etching diamond
AssigneeThe University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
InventorsNalin R. Parikh, John D. Hunn
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A process for selectively etching a diamond substrate comprising the steps of forming a graphitic area within a diamond substrate and selectively etching the diamond substrate with a gaseous reactant under conditions sufficient to convert the graphitic area to a gaseous product, preferably while substantially avoiding reacting with the diamond of the diamond substrate. The technique can be used to form a single crystal diamond layer, for example, using a lift-off technique.
Claims29
A process for selectively etching a diamond substrate comprising the steps of:
- (a) forming one or more graphitic areas within a diamond substrate by implanting the diamond substrate with ions capable of graphitizing diamond to a depth below the surface of the diamond substrate and
- (b) selectively etching the diamond substrate with a gaseous reactant under conditions sufficient to convert the graphitic area to a gaseous product.
A process for selectively etching a single crystal diamond substrate comprising the steps of:
- (a) implanting a single crystal diamond layer with ions to a depth within the single crystal diamond substrate to form one or more graphitic areas below the surface of the diamond layer and
- (b) selectively etching the diamond substrate with molecular oxygen under conditions sufficient to oxidize the graphitic area while substantially avoiding reacting with the diamond of the single crystal diamond substrate.
A process for forming a diamond layer having a thickness comprising the steps of:
- (a) forming a graphitic layer within a diamond substrate at a depth below the surface thereof, the graphitic layer dividing the diamond substrate into an upper portion above the graphitic layer and a lower portion beneath the graphitic layer;
- (b) selectively etching the diamond substrate with a gaseous reactant under conditions sufficient to convert the graphitic layer to a gaseous product and to form an interface between the upper and lower portions of the diamond substrate substantially avoiding reacting with the diamond of the upper and lower portions of the diamond substrate;
- and
- (c) lifting off the upper portion of the diamond substrate from the lower portion of the diamond substrate at the interface to provide a diamond layer having a thickness substantially equal to the depth of the interface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.