Tunable CVD diamond structures

Abstract

Monocrystalline diamond, adapted for use as in applications such as semiconductor devices, optical waveguides, and industrial applications, in the form of a single crystalline diamond structure having one or more diamond layers, at least one of which is formed by a CVD process. The diamond layers are “lattice-matched” or “lattice-mismatched” to each other to provide a desired level of strain.

1 . A method of forming a synthetic monocrystalline diamond comprising the steps of: 
 a) forming on a substrate by a chemical vapor deposition process a first synthetic diamond layer incorporating one or more impurities and one or more carbon isotopes; and    b) selecting concentrations of the one or more carbon isotopes and the one or more impurities during the formation of the first synthetic diamond layer, in order to form the first synthetic diamond layer with a predetermined lattice constant having a corresponding level of lattice strain and a known spin state.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more impurities comprises nitrogen, wherein the incorporation of nitrogen provides forming N-V centers in the first synthetic diamond layer having the known spin state.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the monocrystalline synthetic diamond is formed having a controlled level of lattice match between the substrate and the first synthetic diamond.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the controlled level of lattice match comprises each of the first synthetic diamond layer and the substrate having substantially aligned lattice constants.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the first synthetic diamond layer and the substrate have substantially no lattice strain.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the synthetic monocrystalline diamond is formed as an assembly of N-V centers suitable for use as at least one q-bit.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein q-bit performance corresponds to concentration and distribution of the N-V centers.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the at least one q-bit is adapted for use as a device selected from the group consisting of electrical, optical, mechanical, and quantum computing devices.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the one or more isotopes comprises  13 C isotope, wherein the N-V centers and the  13 C isotope correspond with the spin state.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the monocrystalline synthetic diamond is formed having a controlled level of lattice match between the substrate and the first synthetic diamond.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the controlled level of lattice match comprises each of the first synthetic diamond layer and the substrate having substantially aligned lattice constants.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein each of the first synthetic diamond layer and the substrate have substantially no lattice strain.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the synthetic monocrystalline diamond is formed as an assembly of N-V centers suitable for use as at least one q-bit.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein q-bit performance corresponds to concentration and distribution of the N-V centers.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the at least one q-bit is adapted for use as a device selected from the group consisting of electrical, optical, mechanical, and quantum computing devices.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of forming the first synthetic diamond layer comprises expanding atomic spacing of the first synthetic diamond layer by incorporating the one or more impurities while also contracting atomic spacing of the first synthetic diamond layer by incorporating the one or more carbon isotopes.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the expanding the atomic spacing of the first synthetic diamond layer by incorporating the one or more impurities introduces lattice strain to the formed first synthetic diamond layer.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the step of selecting the concentrations of the one or more carbon isotopes and the one or more impurities comprises counteracting the expanding effect of incorporating the one or more impurities with the contracting effect of incorporating the one or more carbon isotopes in forming the first synthetic diamond layer such that the lattice strain introduced to the first synthetic diamond layer during its formation is substantially eliminated.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the level of lattice strain corresponds to the variation between the lattice constant of the first synthetic diamond layer and the lattice constant of natural diamond.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein a ratio comprised of a difference between the lattice constant of the first synthetic diamond layer and the lattice constant of pure diamond over the lattice constant of pure diamond is used in determining a critical thickness that the first synthetic diamond layer can be formed to without damaging the layer.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the critical thickness of the first synthetic diamond layer decreases as the concentration of the one or more impurities increases in the diamond layer.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the critical thickness of the first synthetic diamond increases as  13 C is used in conjunction with  12 C as the one or more carbon isotopes.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the critical thickness of the first synthetic diamond layer is the level which if exceeded results in dislocations in the diamond structure followed by a fracturing of the diamond structure.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the formation of the dislocations in the first synthetic diamond layer can be lessened or eliminated by further forming by a chemical vapor deposition process a series of synthetic diamond layers that alternate in tension and compression thereon.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the series of alternating synthetic diamond layers redirects the dislocations into the plane of the alternating synthetic diamond layers such that one or more second synthetic diamond layers can be grown by a chemical vapor deposition process onto the first synthetic diamond layer in order to provide the monocrystalline diamond with substantially no strain.  
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of initially determining a critical thickness of the first synthetic diamond layer to be formed.  
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first synthetic diamond layer and the substrate each have respective levels of lattice strain, but the formation of the first synthetic diamond layer to the substrate results in effectively but not literally aligning the lattice constants of the diamond layer and the substrate.  
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the first synthetic diamond layer is under tension and the substrate is under compression.  
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the first synthetic diamond layer is under compression and the substrate is under tension.  
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the effective but not literal alignment of the lattice constants is attained by counteracting tensile and compressive forces on the first synthetic diamond layer and the substrate.  
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the incorporation of one or more impurities comprises adding the one or more impurities during the diamond formation process.  
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the substrate comprises a layer of pure diamond having about 99%  12 C isotope and about 1%  13 C isotope.  
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the substrate comprises a layer of diamond formed by a chemical vapor deposition process.  
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the layer of diamond is substantially similar to pure diamond having about 99%  12 C isotope and about 1%  13 C isotope and substantially no lattice strain.  
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the substrate comprises one or more carbon isotopes.  
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein the substrate comprises one or more carbon isotopes and one or more impurities.  
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more impurities has an atomic size that is larger than the atomic size of the one or more carbon isotopes.  
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first synthetic diamond layer provides enhanced electrical, mechanical, or optical properties corresponding with the use of the one or more impurities as compared to a diamond layer similarly prepared without the use of the one or more impurities.  
     
     
         39 . A monocrystalline synthetic diamond formed according to the method of  claim 1 .  
     
     
         40 . A method of fabricating an electrical device, comprising the steps of: 
 a) determining a level for a specific electrical parameter which if achieved by an electrical device enables the electrical device to perform a predetermined operation;    b) forming the monocrystalline synthetic diamond of  claim 39  so that the diamond achieves such level for the specific electrical parameter; and    c) providing the monocrystalline synthetic diamond for use in the electrical device so as to enable the electrical device to achieve such level for the specific electrical parameter.    
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein the specific electrical parameter is selected from the group consisting of resistivity, breakdown voltage, carrier lifetime, electron mobility, hole mobility, charge collection distance, bandgap, and oxidation resistivity.  
     
     
         42 . An electrical device fabricated according to the method of  claim 40 .  
     
     
         43 . The electrical device of  claim 42 , wherein the electrical device is selected from the group consisting of semiconductor devices, field effect transistors, light emitting diodes, high voltage switches, p-n junctions, Schottky diodes, surgical device contact surfaces, sensors, detectors, electrodes, filters, and quantum computing devices.  
     
     
         44 . The electrical device of  claim 42 , wherein the electrical device comprises a quantum computing device.  
     
     
         45 . A method of fabricating an optical device, comprising the steps of: 
 a) determining a level for a specific optical parameter which if achieved by an optical device enables the optical device to perform a predetermined operation;    b) forming the monocrystalline synthetic diamond of  claim 39  so that the diamond achieves such level for the specific optical parameter; and    c) providing the monocrystalline synthetic diamond for use in the optical device so as to enable the optical device to achieve such level for the specific optical parameter.    
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 45 , wherein the specific optical parameter is selected from the group consisting of index of refraction, transmission efficiency, and bandgap.  
     
     
         47 . An optical device fabricated according to the method of  claim 45 .  
     
     
         48 . The optical device of  claim 47 , wherein the optical device is selected from the group consisting of waveguides, windows, gemstones, anvils, light emitting diodes, and filters.  
     
     
         49 . The optical device of  claim 47 , wherein the optical device comprises a q-bit device.  
     
     
         50 . The optical device of  claim 47 , wherein the optical device comprises a quantum computing device.  
     
     
         51 . The optical device of  claim 48 , wherein the waveguides each comprise one or more q-bits.