Evolution mechanism of (100) diamond etch pits and dislocations
Guozhao Ren1, Shuai Xu1, Feitong Ren1
1Institute for Advanced Materials and Technology, University of Science and Technology Beijing Beijing 100083 China chengmli@mater.ustb.edu.cn chenliangxianbest@163.com.
RSC Advances
|August 5, 2026
Summary
Structural defects like dislocations limit diamond electronics. This study tracks dislocation propagation in diamond using plasma etching and advanced imaging, revealing their 3D path and stress evolution during growth.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Solid State Physics
- Crystallography
Background:
- Single crystal diamond is promising for electronics but limited by structural defects, particularly dislocations.
- Understanding dislocation behavior is crucial for improving diamond device performance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the 3D evolution and stress field propagation of dislocations in monocrystalline diamond during homoepitaxial growth.
- To develop and validate a correlative etching-Raman protocol for analyzing subsurface defects.
Main Methods:
- Utilized O/H plasma etching to reveal dislocation-related etch pits on (100) diamond surfaces.
- Employed femtosecond laser marking for precise region relocation before and after growth.
- Combined sequential atomic force microscopy (AFM) depth profiling with confocal Raman stress imaging.
Main Results:
- Tracked threading dislocation propagation from below the substrate surface into the CVD overgrowth layer.
- Quantified etch-pit depth evolution and Raman peak shifts to analyze stress fields.
- Observed a branching stress-field signature around 10 µm above the substrate, indicating a transition in dislocation type.
Conclusions:
- The correlative etching-Raman protocol effectively visualizes 3D dislocation propagation in diamond.
- Dislocation stress fields propagate upwards and can transition into complex configurations.
- This methodology provides critical insights for defect engineering in diamond electronics.
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