Fractal features and surface micromorphology of diamond nanocrystals

This paper analyses the three-dimensional (3-D) surface texture of growing diamond nanocrystals on Au thin films as catalyst on p-type Si substrate using hot filament chemical vapour deposition (HFCVD). Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS), atomic force microscopy (AFM), Raman, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analyses were applied also to characterize the 3-D surface texture data in connection with the statistical, and fractal analyses. This type of 3-D morphology allows a deeper understanding of structure/property relationships and surface defects in prepared samples. Our results indicate a promising way for preparing high-quality diamond nanocrystals on Au thin films as catalyst on p-type Si substrate via HFCVD method.