Polishing diamond surface
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
InventorsPehr E. Pehrsson, Michael L. Marchywka
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Process of smoothing or polishing a diamond surface to reduce asperities reon to a level as low as about 20 nm from the horizontal by implanting the diamond surface with ions to form a non-diamond carbon damage layer on or below the diamond surface below the disparity depth and dissolving the non-diamond carbon by submerging the non-diamond carbon in a liquid having sufficient electric field to dissolve the non-diamond carbon.
Claims18
A process for smoothing a diamond surface containing asperities thereon comprising the steps of:
- (a) implanting ions in the diamond surface to form non-diamond carbon on the diamond surface and the asperities by directing an ion beam at an angle of less than 90.degree. from the diamond surface, and
- (b) removing the non-diamond carbon by electrochemical etching.
A process for polishing a diamond containing asperities thereon comprising the steps of:
- (a) forming non-diamond carbon on the diamond and the asperities by directing an ion beam having an energy of about 1.times.10.sup.4 to about 1.times.10.sup.7 electron volts at the diamond at an angle of less than 90.degree. with respect to the diamond;
- (b) dissolving the non-diamond carbon disposed on the diamond and the asperities by submerging the non-diamond carbon in a liquid having an electric field of sufficient strength to remove the non-diamond carbon;
- and
- (c) turning the diamond to form non-diamond carbon around the asperities.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.