A MICROWAVE PLASMA REACTOR FOR MANUFACTURING SYNTHETIC DIAMOND MATERIAL

• Main Authors: COE, STEVEN EDWARD, WILMAN, JONATHAN JAMES, BRANDON, JOHN ROBERT, SCARSBROOK, GEOFFREY ALAN, DODSON, JOSEPH MICHAEL, WORT, CHRISTOPHER JOHN HOWARD
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French
• Published: 28.06.2012
• Subjects: AFTER-TREATMENT OF SINGLE CRYSTALS OR A HOMOGENEOUSPOLYCRYSTALLINE MATERIAL WITH DEFINED STRUCTURE; APPARATUS THEREFOR; BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS; CHEMICAL SURFACE TREATMENT; CHEMISTRY; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATIONOR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY IONIMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COMPOUNDS THEREOF; CRYSTAL GROWTH; DIFFUSION TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL; ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS; ELECTRICITY; INHIBITING CORROSION OF METALLIC MATERIAL OR INCRUSTATION INGENERAL; INORGANIC CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY; NON-METALLIC ELEMENTS; PRODUCTION OF A HOMOGENEOUS POLYCRYSTALLINE MATERIAL WITHDEFINED STRUCTURE; REFINING BY ZONE-MELTING OF MATERIAL; SINGLE CRYSTALS OR HOMOGENEOUS POLYCRYSTALLINE MATERIAL WITHDEFINED STRUCTURE; SINGLE-CRYSTAL-GROWTH; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THESURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; UNIDIRECTIONAL SOLIDIFICATION OF EUTECTIC MATERIAL ORUNIDIRECTIONAL DEMIXING OF EUTECTOID MATERIAL

A microwave plasma reactor for manufacturing synthetic diamond material via chemical vapour deposition, the microwave plasma reactor comprising: a plasma chamber; a substrate holder disposed in the plasma chamber and comprising a supporting surface for supporting a substrate on which the synthetic diamond material is to be deposited in use; a microwave coupling configuration for feeding microwaves from a microwave generator into the plasma chamber; and a gas flow system for feeding process gases into the plasma chamber and removing them therefrom; wherein the microwave plasma reactor further comprises an electrically conductive plasma stabilizing annulus disposed around the substrate holder within the plasma chamber. L'invention concerne un réacteur plasma à micro-ondes pour la fabrication de diamant synthétique par dépôt chimique en phase vapeur, le réacteur plasma à micro-ondes comprenant : une chambre à plasma ; un support de substrat placé dans la chambre à plasma et comprenant une surface porteuse destinée à supporter un substrat sur lequel le diamant synthétique va être déposé en service ; une configuration de couplage de micro-ondes destinée à amener dans la chambre à plasma des micro-ondes provenant d'un générateur de micro-ondes ; et un système de circulation de gaz destiné à amener des gaz de traitement dans la chambre à plasma et à les en extraire. Le réacteur plasma à micro-ondes comprend en outre un anneau électriquement conducteur de stabilisation du plasma, placé autour du support de substrat dans la chambre à plasma.