Magnetoplasmadynamic Plasma Assisted Chemical Vapor Deposition of Diamond Films

Diamond possesses a combination of properties which makes it uniquely suited to a number of scientific, military, and industrial applications. One promising approach to large scale production of chemically vapor deposited diamond is the use of plasma discharges to create the required chemical environment growth. DC-arcjet sources have been successfully used in the synthesis of diamond and have demonstrated higher rates of deposition than other sources using different gas activation processes. Materials processing with DC-arcjets represents an effective dual use of this technology which has benefited from extensive studies characterizing arcjet thrusters performed over the years. Other electric propulsion technologies may also possess unique advantages for materials processing. Although the magnetoplasmadynamic thuster may be particularly well suited to diamond synthesis, its potential has not been explored. This paper outlines a proposed research activity to assess the feasibility of using an MPD plasma source in the chemical vapor deposition (CVD) of diamond films. After reviewing properties and applications of diamond films, the MPD and arcjet discharges are compared, highlighting some of the important differences which ma