Exploring fractality of microcrystalline diamond films

Abstract

Diamond is renowned as a material with superlative physical qualities, most of which originate from the strong covalent bonding between its atoms. The possibility to deposit polycrystalline diamond films via chemical vapor deposition (CVD) methods on large areas and on a large variety of substrates is posing numerous scientific challenges but also enables relevant industrial applications. Especially for small grain sizes, the grain's misorientation and consequently the atomic structure of grain boundaries plays a significant role on transport properties and mechanical properties. Hence, the size and shape of the crystallites of poly- and nanocrystalline diamond films are one important key to optimize film properties for their specific applications. Fractal theory helps to find and define order in systems where disorder seems to prevail. Therefore, we apply fractal geometry analysis to characterize the grain morphology and surface topology of CVD grown diamond films.