Vapor phase precursor seeding for diamond film deposition

Abstract

This invention provides a method for depositing nanocrystalline diamond films. [Solution] A method for depositing an adamantane film used in the fabrication of an integrated circuit, comprising processing a substrate on which an adamantane seed layer has been deposited, converting it into a diamond nucleus layer having increased crystallinity compared to the adamantane seed layer, and growing a complete nanocrystalline diamond film from the diamond nucleus layer.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] Embodiments of this disclosure relate to methods for depositing nanocrystalline diamond films. More specifically, embodiments of this disclosure relate to the deposition of nanocrystalline diamond films during the manufacture of electronic devices, in particular integrated circuits (ICs). [Background technology]

[0002] As the semiconductor industry introduces new generations of integrated circuits (ICs) with higher performance and superior functionality, the density of elements forming those ICs increases while the dimensions, size, and spacing between individual components or elements decrease. In the past, such reductions were limited only by the ability to define structures using photolithography, but device geometries with dimensions measured in micrometers or nanometers have created new limiting factors, such as the conductivity of metallic elements, the dielectric constant of insulating materials used between elements, or challenges in 3D-NAND or DRAM processes. These limitations can be addressed by hard masks that are more durable and harder.

[0003] Traditionally, nanodiamonds (NDs) are seeded onto silicon via ablation or sonication. This creates defects on the wafer surface. Furthermore, NDs have high sp² which is undesirable for the properties of nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) films. 2 It has a high sp. content. From a manufacturing standpoint, the ability to dry-seed NCD precursors onto silicon enables the integration of the process into large-scale production. 3 Adamantane, a highly volatile molecule present in the composition, is a potential alternative to ND seeds.

[0004] With its superior hardness, chemical inertness, and high thermal conductivity, diamond has emerged as a promising candidate for countless microelectronics applications. However, the large difference in surface energy between diamond and silicon (approximately 6 J / cm²) is a significant factor. 2For about 1.5 J / cm 2 ), the low adhesion coefficient of gaseous precursors (e.g., hydrocarbon radicals) and the strong competition with non-diamond phases generally result in poor diamond nucleation density on untreated silicon. Nevertheless, to synthesize high-quality nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) films, a nucleation density of > 10 11 cm -2 is targeted.

[0005] To address the nucleation density issue, substrates are often pretreated (e.g., mechanical abrasion or microchipping) and / or seeded with nanodiamond (ND) particles (~5 nm) prior to deposition. However, the presence of scratches on the substrate surface is detrimental for microelectronics applications. Moreover, the broad particle size distribution and high sp 2 carbon content in ND particles are disadvantageous for the growth of extremely smooth continuous NCD films. Most importantly, these multi-step procedures are cumbersome and not cleanroom compatible. This has motivated the development of a cleanroom-compatible dry seeding procedure that enables the deposition of a uniform layer of seeds on silicon substrates.

[0006] Adamantane (C 10 H 16 ), the smallest “molecular diamond,” has a cage-type structure similar to a subunit cut out from the diamond crystal lattice. Adamantane and its derivatives have been considered as seeds for potential diamond growth in solution and vapor-phase seeding systems due to their extremely small molecular size (<1 nm).

[0007] Nevertheless, adamantane remains difficult to supply in the gas phase due to its high vapor pressure and low sublimation point. This leads to significant evaporation of adamantane from the substrate, particularly under high temperature and / or vacuum systems. Subsequently, this results in low nucleation density and an uneven distribution of diamond growth. Therefore, there is a need in the art for improved methods for forming diamond films. [Overview of the project]

[0008] One or more embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a method for forming a nanocrystalline diamond film. An adamantane seed layer is formed by exposing a substrate surface to adamantane vapor in a first plasma process chamber for a first time and generating a mild first plasma in the first plasma process chamber for a first plasma time. The adamantane seed layer is converted into a diamond nucleus layer having increased crystallinity compared to the adamantane seed layer. A complete nanocrystalline diamond film is grown from the diamond nucleus layer.

[0009] To allow for a more detailed understanding of the features described above, a more detailed description of the disclosure, which is briefly summarized above, may be given by reference to embodiments, some of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. However, it should be noted that the accompanying drawings illustrate only typical embodiments of the disclosure and should therefore not be considered an limitation, since the disclosure may allow for other equally effective embodiments. Embodiments described herein are illustrated, not as limitations, but as examples, in the drawings of the accompanying drawings, where similar reference numerals point to similar elements. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] This figure illustrates a flowchart of a method according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 2A]This figure illustrates a schematic cross-sectional view of a substrate in a method according to one or more embodiments. [Figure 2B] This figure illustrates a schematic cross-sectional view of a substrate in a method according to one or more embodiments. [Figure 2C] This figure illustrates a schematic cross-sectional view of a substrate in a method according to one or more embodiments. [Figure 2D] This figure illustrates a schematic cross-sectional view of a substrate in a method according to one or more embodiments. [Figure 2E] This figure illustrates a schematic cross-sectional view of a substrate in a method according to one or more embodiments. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0011] Before describing some exemplary embodiments of this disclosure, it should be understood that this disclosure is not limited to the configuration or process step details described below. Other embodiments of this disclosure are possible and can be practiced or performed in a variety of ways.

[0012] As used herein, “substrate” refers to a substrate or a material surface formed on a substrate against which a film treatment is performed during a manufacturing process. For example, substrate surfaces against which a treatment may be performed include, depending on the application, materials such as silicon, silicon oxide, strained silicon, silicon-on-insulator (SOI), carbon-doped silicon oxide, amorphous silicon, doped silicon, germanium, gallium arsenide, gallium nitride, glass, sapphire, as well as any other materials such as metals, metal nitrides, metal alloys, and other conductive materials. A substrate includes, but is not limited to, a semiconductor wafer. A substrate may be subjected to pretreatment processes for polishing, etching, reducing, oxidizing, hydroxylating, annealing, and / or firing the substrate surface. In addition to film treatments performed directly on the substrate surface itself, any of the disclosed film treatment steps may be performed on an underlying layer formed on the substrate, as disclosed in more detail below, and the term “substrate surface” is intended to include the underlying layer as the context indicates. For example, when a film / layer or partial film / layer is deposited on a substrate surface, the exposed surface of the newly deposited film / layer becomes the substrate surface.

[0013] As used herein and in the appended claims, terms such as “precursor,” “reactant,” and “reactive gas” are used interchangeably to refer to any gaseous nuclide that can react with a substrate surface.

[0014] As used herein, the phrase "nanocrystalline diamond" refers to a solid film of diamond that is commonly grown on a substrate, such as silicon. In one or more embodiments, the nanocrystallinity is a result of enhanced re-nucleation reactions in diamond growth, where the growth of diamond crystals is hindered by fluctuations in the ambient environment, such as the amount of radical nucleating species, temperature, and pressure. In one or more embodiments, the nanocrystalline diamond layer is mainly composed of small diamond crystals that are nanospherical or nanocolumnar and amorphous carbon that is distributed or accumulated at grain boundaries, usually at positions between surrounding crystals. Nanocrystalline diamond is used as a hard mask material for semiconductor applications due to its chemical inertness, optical transparency, and good mechanical properties.

[0015] As used herein, the term "adamantane" refers to a broad classification of the adamantane family, including but not limited to commercially available adamantane and / or self-synthesized adamantane, its derivatives, oligomers, and polymers.

[0016] Embodiments of the present disclosure describe the development and utilization of a novel method for the dry seeding of adamantane onto silicon via vapor delivery. The present disclosure shows the seeding, conversion, and growth of adamantane into a nanocrystalline diamond film. In this operation, adamantane vapor is released into the chamber in a controlled manner and seeded onto a silicon substrate. The seeded sample then undergoes incubation and main growth, where the adamantane "seed" undergoes a series of conversions to form an NCD film.

[0017] Due to the high volatility of adamantane, there have been few studies that have successfully demonstrated the seeding of adamantane vapor delivery, and the films obtained therefrom have been either inherently non-uniform or diamond-like carbon. Instead, most attempts have involved wet chemical synthesis or preparation. Even in that case, NCD was only observed in local islands. One or more embodiments of the present disclosure provide in-situ vapor delivery of adamantane and dry seeding of adamantane for the deposition of uniform NCD films.

[0018] Some embodiments of the present disclosure advantageously provide a method that preserves the integrity of the wafer surface as opposed to ultrasonic treatment and reduces the probability of defect occurrence. Some embodiments provide a dry seeding process that enables the integration of various processes that are beneficial for tool development and mass production. The small molecular size and high sp 3 content of adamantane can potentially help achieve NCD films with higher hardness and elastic modulus while maintaining low surface roughness.

[0019] Conventional multi-step solution-based seeding of NCD is cumbersome and not cleanroom compatible. Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a method for vapor delivery and dry seeding of adamantane onto a silicon substrate for subsequent growth of an NCD film. One or more embodiments of the method are in-situ and cleanroom compatible.

[0020] Device manufacturers using carbon-based hard mask layers require that the following requirements be met: (1) high selectivity of the hard mask during dry etching of the underlying material, (2) low film roughness, (3) low film stress, and (4) film peelability. As used herein, the term "dry etching" generally refers to an etching process in which the material is not decomposed by immersion in a chemical solution, and includes methods such as plasma etching, reactive ion etching, sputter etching, and vapor etching.

[0021] In one or more embodiments, a nanocrystalline diamond layer is formed on a substrate. The process of one or more embodiments advantageously results in a nanocrystalline diamond layer with high density, high hardness, high etching selectivity, low stress, and excellent thermal conductivity.

[0022] Hard masks are used as etching stop layers in semiconductor processing. Ashable hard masks have a chemical composition that allows them to be removed by a technique called ashing once they have served their purpose. Ashable hard masks generally consist of carbon and hydrogen with trace amounts of one or more dopants (e.g., nitrogen, fluorine, boron, silicon). In a typical application, after etching, the hard mask has served its purpose and is removed from the underlying layers. This is generally achieved, at least in part, by ashing, also known as "plasma ashing" or "dry stripping." A substrate with a hard mask to be ashing, i.e., generally a partially manufactured semiconductor wafer, is placed in a chamber under vacuum, oxygen is introduced, and high-frequency power is applied to create oxygen radicals (plasma). The radicals react with the hard mask, oxidizing it to water, carbon monoxide, and carbon dioxide. In some cases, for example, when an ashingable hard mask leaves behind some residue that cannot be removed by ashing alone, complete removal of the hard mask can be achieved by performing an additional wet or dry etching process after ashing.

[0023] Hard mask layers are often used in applications involving etching narrow and / or deep contacts, where the photoresist may not be thick enough to mask the underlying layer. This is especially true as the critical dimensions decrease.

[0024] V-NAND or 3D-NAND structures are used in flash memory applications. A V-NAND device is a vertically stacked NAND structure with a large number of cells arranged in a block. As used herein, the term "3D-NAND" refers to a type of electronic (solid-state) non-volatile computer storage memory in which memory cells are stacked in multiple layers. 3D-NAND memory generally includes multiple memory cells, including floating-gate transistors. Traditionally, 3D-NAND memory cells have included multiple NAND memory structures arranged in three dimensions around a bit line.

[0025] A crucial step in 3D-NAND technology is slit etching. As the number of tiers increases at each technology node, the thickness of the hard mask film must increase proportionally to withstand high-aspect-ratio etching profiles in order to control the slit etching profile. Currently, amorphous carbon (aC:H) films are used due to their high hardness and ease of delamination after slit etching. However, amorphous carbon hard mask films suffer from delamination at the bevels, poor morphology, and pillar patterns.

[0026] Referring to Figures 1 and 2A to 2E, one or more embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a method 100 for forming a nanocrystalline diamond film. In step 110, a substrate 200 having a substrate surface 205 is exposed to adamantane vapor 210 in a first plasma process chamber 310. The adamantane vapor 210 is applied to the substrate surface 205 for a first time period T1. The substrate surface 205 is then subjected to a first plasma time period T1 to form an adamantane seed layer 220 on the substrate surface 205. P1During this time, the adamantane seed layer 220 is exposed to a mild first plasma 215 in the first plasma process chamber. In some embodiments, the adamantane seed layer 220 is formed without exposure to the mild first plasma 215 in the first plasma process chamber. In some embodiments, the adamantane seed layer 220 is formed by a thermal process (meaning there is no plasma exposure).

[0027] The first plasma process chamber 310 may be any suitable plasma chamber having any suitable plasma source (e.g., remote, microwave, capacitively coupled plasma (CCP), or inductively coupled plasma (ICP)), such as one of the process chambers described above. In some embodiments, the flow rates and other processing parameters described below are for a 300 mm substrate. It should be understood that these parameters may be adjusted based on the size of the substrate being processed and the type of chamber used without deviating from the embodiments disclosed herein. In certain embodiments, the mild first plasma 215 comprises one or more of the following: capacitively coupled plasma, inductively coupled plasma, pulsed discharge plasma, hot filament, or electron cyclotron resonance plasma.

[0028] In some embodiments, the first plasma 215 is composed of argon (Ar), molecular nitrogen (N2), and empirically formulated C x H y The plasma gas comprises one or more organic radionuclides having y = 2x+2, 2x, or 2x-2, carbon dioxide (CO2), or molecular hydrogen gas (H2). In some embodiments, the adamantane vapor is co-flowed with the first plasma gas. In some embodiments, the adamantane vapor is not flowed during plasma generation.

[0029] In some embodiments, the first plasma 215 is generated using power greater than 50 watts, 100 watts, or 150 watts. In some embodiments, the substrate 200 is maintained at a temperature in the range of 20 to 600°C during the formation of the adamantane seed layer 220.

[0030] In some embodiments, forming the adamantane seed layer 220 comprises two or more cycles of exposure to adamantane vapor 210 and a first plasma 215. In some embodiments, forming the adamantane seed layer 220 comprises cycles of exposure to adamantane vapor and a first plasma in the range of 1 to 1000.

[0031] In some embodiments, the first plasma process chamber 310 includes a showerhead / electrode 312 (also called the first plasma source) located at a first distance D1 from the substrate surface 205. In some embodiments, the first distance D1 is greater than or equal to 10 mm, 15 mm, 20 mm, or 25 mm.

[0032] In step 120, the adamantane seed layer 220 is converted into a diamond nucleus layer 230. The diamond nucleus layer 230 is the adamantane seed layer 220 after the partial crystallization process. The conversion to the diamond nucleus layer 230 is a partial conversion process in which at least a portion of the crystal properties of the adamantane seed layer 220 is increased.

[0033] In some embodiments, the adamantane seed layer 220 is converted to a diamond nucleus layer 230 in a second plasma process chamber 320 using a second mild plasma 225 generated by a plasma source 325. The second plasma process chamber can be any suitable plasma chamber having any suitable plasma source (e.g., remote, microwave, capacitively coupled plasma (CCP), or inductively coupled plasma (ICP)), such as one of the process chambers described above. In some embodiments, the flow rates and other processing parameters described below are for a 300 mm substrate. It should be understood that these parameters may be adjusted based on the size of the substrate being processed and the type of chamber used without deviating from the embodiments disclosed herein. In certain embodiments, the mild second plasma 225 comprises one or more of capacitively coupled plasma, inductively coupled plasma, pulsed discharge plasma, hot filament, or electron cyclotron resonance plasma.

[0034] In some embodiments, the second mild plasma 225 is composed of argon (Ar), molecular nitrogen (N2), and empirically formulated C x H y Herein, y is 2x+2, 2x, or 2x-2, comprising one or more of organic radionuclides, carbon dioxide (CO2), or molecular hydrogen gas (H2). In some embodiments, adamantane vapor is flowed together with the first plasma gas. In some embodiments, adamantane vapor is not flowed during plasma generation.

[0035] In some embodiments, the second plasma 225 is generated using a second plasma source having a power less than or equal to 10 kilowatts, 9 kW, 8 kW, 7 kW, 6 kW, 5 kW, or 4 kW. In some embodiments, the second plasma 225 is a pulsed plasma with a duty cycle less than or equal to 75%, 70%, 65%, 60%, 55%, 50%, 45%, or 40% at frequencies in the range of 50 Hz to 100 Hz, or 60 Hz to 90 Hz, or 70 Hz to 80 Hz. In some embodiments, the second plasma 225 is operated in continuous mode (100% duty cycle). In some embodiments, the second mild plasma 225 has a power less than or equal to 6 kW with a duty cycle less than or equal to 50% at frequencies in the range of 70 Hz to 80 Hz. In some embodiments, the substrate 200 is maintained at a temperature in the range of 50 to 600°C during the conversion of the adamantane seed layer 220 to the diamond nucleus layer 230.

[0036] In some embodiments, the substrate 200 is located at a second distance D2 from the plasma source 325. In some embodiments, the substrate 200 is located at a distance D2 less than or equal to 12 cm, 11 cm, 10 cm, 9 cm, or 8 cm from the plasma source 325. In some embodiments, the second plasma source 325 includes a showerhead that acts as an electrode. In some embodiments, the second plasma source includes a weak microwave plasma source.

[0037] The diamond nucleus layer 230 has an increased degree of crystallinity compared to the adamantane seed layer 220. In some embodiments, the degree of crystallinity of the diamond nucleus layer 230 is increased by more than or equal to 10%, 15%, 20%, 25%, 30%, 35%, 40%, 45%, or 50%.

[0038] In step 130, a complete nanocrystalline diamond film 240 is grown from the diamond nucleation layer 230. The term “grown” as used in this context means that the complete nanocrystalline diamond film 240 is formed on the diamond nucleation layer 230 and that the diamond nucleation layer 230 can be incorporated into the complete nanocrystalline diamond film 240. The complete nanocrystalline diamond film 240 may be epitaxially grown or deposited by any preferred technique known to those skilled in the art.

[0039] In some embodiments, the growth of a complete nanocrystalline diamond film 240 is carried out in a second plasma process chamber 320 using a third plasma 235 (sometimes called a strong plasma). In some embodiments, the complete nanocrystalline diamond film 240 is grown using a strong conductive / inductively coupled plasma, microwave plasma, pulsed discharge plasma, hot filament plasma, or electron cyclotron resonance plasma. In some embodiments, the complete nanocrystalline diamond film 240 is grown using a strong microwave plasma. In some embodiments, the complete nanocrystalline diamond film 240 is formed in a different process chamber using a second plasma 225. In some embodiments, the complete nanocrystalline diamond film 240 is formed in the same process chamber in which the adamantane seed layer 220 and / or diamond nucleus layer 230 are formed.

[0040] In some embodiments, the third plasma 235 comprises a microwave plasma having a power greater than or equal to 50W, 3kW, 4kW, or 5kW with a duty cycle greater than or equal to 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, or 80%.

[0041] In some embodiments, the substrate 200 is maintained at a temperature ranging from room temperature (25°C) to 750°C during exposure to a third microwave plasma. In some embodiments, the substrate 200 is maintained at a temperature exceeding room temperature (25°C), 50°C, 75°C, 100°C, 150°C, 200°C, or 250°C during exposure to a strong microwave plasma 235.

[0042] During step 130, the substrate 200 is located at a distance D3 from the plasma source 325. In some embodiments, distance D3 is the same as distance D2. In some embodiments, distance D3 is reduced from distance D2. In some embodiments, the substrate 200 is located at a distance of 12 cm, 11 cm, 10 cm, 9 cm, or less than 8 cm from the strong microwave plasma source.

[0043] In some embodiments, to prepare for the supply of adamantane vapor, 1 to 100 g of adamantane may be transferred into an ampoule connected to a chamber and preheated between 25 and 100°C. In some embodiments, a silicon wafer may be loaded into a capacitively coupled plasma (CCP) chamber and dry-cleaned by a weak plasma. In some embodiments, after the weak plasma, an adamantane mixed gas may be supplied for a certain period. Subsequently, in some embodiments, a mild C x H 2x+2 A CO2 / H2CCP is struck at a power of 50-800W for 1-3600 seconds to facilitate the adsorption of adamantane onto the silicon substrate. This seeding procedure can be repeated for 1-1000 cycles. In some embodiments, the stage temperature is maintained below 600°C throughout the process, and the gap between the stage and the plasma source can be set to be greater than or equal to 10 mm.

[0044] In some embodiments, the seeded wafers are then transferred to a microwave (MW) plasma CVD chamber for the subsequent incubation and main growth process. Power greater than 50W and a duty cycle of 10–100% C xH 2x+2 A CO2 / H2MW plasma is generated. The substrate support temperature is maintained between 50°C and 600°C, and the gap between the substrate and the plasma source is maintained at less than 12 cm.

[0045] In some embodiments, after incubation for 0.5 to 6 hours, a third microwave plasma is applied at 50 W to 12 kW and a duty cycle of 60 to 100% for step 130 to form a complete nanocrystalline diamond film. The substrate support is maintained at a temperature of 100 to 750°C and a gap of less than 10 cm for more than 2 hours, respectively.

[0046] In some embodiments, the substrate then undergoes primary growth for an additional 2–10 hours using a stronger microwave plasma. In some embodiments, the small diamond particles continue to grow, eventually forming a well-faceted and nearly completely coalesced NCD film.

[0047] Any reference throughout this Specification to “one embodiment,” “some embodiments,” “one or more embodiments,” or “embodiments” means that any particular feature, structure, material, or property described in relation to an embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of this disclosure. Thus, any occurrence of phrases such as “in one or more embodiments,” “in some embodiments,” “in one embodiment,” or “in an embodiment” in various places throughout this Specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment of this disclosure. Furthermore, any particular feature, structure, material, or property may be combined in any preferred manner in one or more embodiments.

[0048] While the disclosures herein have been described with reference to specific embodiments, it should be understood that these embodiments are merely illustrative of the principles and applications of the disclosure. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the methods and apparatus of the disclosure without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure. Accordingly, the disclosure is intended to include modifications and variations that fall within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A method for forming a nanocrystalline diamond film, Forming an adamantane seed layer by exposing the substrate surface to adamantane vapor in a first plasma process chamber for a first time, and generating a first plasma in the first plasma process chamber for a first plasma time. The adamantane seed layer is transformed into a diamond core layer having an increased degree of crystallinity compared to the adamantane seed layer. To grow a complete nanocrystalline diamond film from the aforementioned diamond core layer and A method that includes [a certain feature].

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein forming the adamantane seed layer comprises cycles of exposure to the adamantane vapor and the first plasma in the range of 1 to 1000.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first plasma process chamber comprises a shower head / electrode located at a first distance from the substrate surface, and the first distance is greater than 10 mm.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first plasma comprises a conductive / inductively coupled plasma, a microwave plasma, a pulsed discharge plasma, a hot filament plasma, or an electron cyclotron resonance plasma.

5. The first plasma is composed of argon, nitrogen, and C ｘ H ｙ The method according to claim 4, comprising one or more of carbon dioxide or molecular hydrogen gas.

6. The method according to claim 4, wherein the first plasma has a power exceeding 50 watts.

7. The method according to claim 4, wherein the substrate is maintained at a temperature between 20 and 600°C.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the conversion of the adamantane seed layer to the diamond core layer is performed in a second plasma process chamber using a second plasma including a second plasma source.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the second plasma process chamber comprises any of a conductive / inductively coupled plasma, a microwave plasma, a pulsed discharge plasma, a hot filament plasma, or an electron cyclotron resonance plasma.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the second plasma comprises one or more powers of less than 10 kW.

11. The method according to claim 9, wherein the substrate is located at a distance of less than 10 cm from the second plasma source.

12. The method according to claim 9, wherein the substrate is maintained at a temperature in the range of 50°C to 600°C.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the growth of the nanocrystalline diamond film is carried out in a second plasma process chamber using a second plasma source, a third plasma selected from conductive / inductively coupled plasmas including microwave plasma, pulsed discharge plasma, hot filament, or electron cyclotron resonance plasma.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the third plasma comprises one or more powers greater than 50 W with a duty cycle greater than 60%.

15. The method according to claim 13, wherein the substrate is maintained at a temperature within the range of room temperature to 750°C.

16. The method according to claim 13, wherein the substrate is located at a distance of less than 10 cm from the second plasma source.

17. A method for forming a nanocrystalline diamond film, Forming an adamantane seed layer by exposing the substrate surface to adamantane vapor in a first plasma process chamber for a first time and generating a mild first plasma in the first plasma process chamber for a first plasma time, wherein the mild first plasma is composed of argon, nitrogen, and C ｘ H ｙ The adamantane seed layer is formed comprising one or more of carbon dioxide or molecular hydrogen gas, and the substrate surface is located at a first distance from the first plasma source in the first plasma chamber that is greater than or equal to 10 mm. The method involves converting the adamantane seed layer into a diamond nucleus layer having increased crystallinity compared to the adamantane seed layer in a second plasma process chamber using a second mild plasma, wherein the second plasma source generates the second mild plasma having one or more powers less than 10 kW, and the substrate surface is located less than 10 cm from the second plasma source. Using a third plasma having one or more power levels greater than 50W with a duty cycle greater than 60%, a complete nanocrystalline diamond film is grown from a diamond nucleus layer in the second plasma process chamber. A method that includes [a certain feature].

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein forming the adamantane seed layer comprises cycles of exposure to the adamantane vapor and the mild first plasma in the range of 1 to 1000, wherein the first plasma comprises any of a conductive / inductively coupled plasma, a microwave plasma, a pulsed discharge plasma, a hot filament plasma, or an electron cyclotron resonance plasma, having a power of more than 50 watts, and the substrate is maintained at a temperature between 20 and 600°C.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the second plasma process chamber comprises one of a conductive / inductively coupled plasma, a microwave plasma, a pulsed discharge plasma, a hot filament plasma, or an electron cyclotron resonance plasma, and the substrate is maintained at a temperature in the range of 50°C to 400°C.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein the growth of the complete nanocrystalline diamond film is carried out while maintaining the substrate at a temperature in the range of room temperature to 750°C, and the substrate is located at a distance of less than 10 cm from the plasma source.

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