Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy in the Study of Diamond Thin Films

ABSTRACTNuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy has been used to study diamond thin films grown in a low-pressure hot-filament reactor from 13C-labeled acetone. Film quality is assessed, and the origin of deposited carbon determined. Carbon atoms from both bonding environments in the acetone molecule deposit to form only sp3-bonded material. The relative rate of incorporation of these carbon atoms is determined. Experimental results and equilibrium calculations demonstrate that CO acts as a precursor for diamond growth in the absence of heterogeneous kinetics.