Thin film diamond coating system and method

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a transparent glass system that includes an optical grade silicon substrate, and a nanocrystalline diamond film on the silicon substrate, the diamond film deposited using a chemical vapor deposition system having a reactor in which methane, hydrogen and argon source gases are added. Further disclosed is a method of fabricating transparent glass that includes the steps of seeding an optical grade silicon substrate and forming a nanocrystalline diamond film on the silicon substrate using a chemical vapor deposition system having a reactor in which methane, hydrogen and argon source gases are added.

We claim: 
     
       1. A transparent glass for electronics, comprising:
 a BK7 silicon substrate;   a nanocrystalline diamond film of approximately 113 nm on the BK7 silicon substrate, the diamond film deposited using a chemical vapor deposition system having a reactor in which methane, hydrogen and argon source gases are added wherein the transmission of light through the silicon substrate and the nanocrystalline diamond film at 550 nm wavelength is in excess of 0.90 and the transmission of light between 350 nm and 450 nm wavelength is less than 0.80 and the transmission of light between 750 nm and 850 am is less than 0.80.   
     
     
       2. The transparent glass of  claim 1 , wherein the reactor is a microwave plasma reactor. 
     
     
       3. The transparent glass of  claim 1 , wherein the reactor is a hot filament reactor. 
     
     
       4. The transparent glass of  claim 1 , wherein the substrate is seeded with nanocrystalline diamond prior to the deposition of the diamond film. 
     
     
       5. The transparent glass of  claim 1 , wherein the reactor is operated at temperatures less than 450 degrees Celsius. 
     
     
       6. The transparent glass of  claim 1 , wherein the diamond film is less than on micron. 
     
     
       7. The transparent glass of  claim 1 , wherein the substrate is fused silica. 
     
     
       8. The transparent glass of  claim 1 , wherein the substrate is quartz. 
     
     
       9. The transparent glass of  claim 1 , wherein the substrate includes sapphire. 
     
     
       10. The transparent glass of  claim 1 , wherein the methane, hydrogen and argon source gases are at concentrations of: 300 SCCM argon, 3 SCCM methane), 4 SCCM H2 hydrogen. 
     
     
       11. A transparent display comprising:
 a glass substrate; and   a nanocrystalline diamond film formed on the glass substrate, wherein the nanocrystalline diamond film comprises a thickness from about 102 nm to about one micrometer;   wherein transmission of light through the glass substrate and the nanocrystalline diamond film is such that:
 at least 88% of light comprising a wavelength of 550 nm passes through the transparent display; 
 less than 80% of light comprising a wavelength between 350 nm and 450 nm passes through the transparent display; and 
 less than 80% of light comprising a wavelength between 750 nm and 850 nm passes through the transparent display.  
   
     
     
       12. The transparent display of  claim 11 , wherein the nanocrystalline diamond film is deposited on to the glass substrate with a microwave plasma reactor.  
     
     
       13. The transparent display of  claim 11 , wherein the nanocrystalline diamond film is deposited on to the glass substrate with a hot filament reactor.  
     
     
       14. The transparent display of  claim 11 , wherein the glass substrate is seeded with nanocrystalline diamond prior to the nanocrystalline diamond film being deposited on to the glass substrate.  
     
     
       15. The transparent display of  claim 11 , wherein the nanocrystalline diamond film is deposited on to the glass substrate with a reactor that is operated at temperatures less than 450 degrees Celsius.  
     
     
       16. The transparent display of  claim 11 , wherein the nanocrystalline diamond film comprises a thickness from about 102 nm to about 125 nm.  
     
     
       17. The transparent display of  claim 11 , wherein the glass substrate comprises fused silica.  
     
     
       18. The transparent display of  claim 11 , wherein the glass substrate comprises quartz.  
     
     
       19. The transparent display of  claim 11 , wherein the glass substrate comprises sapphire.  
     
     
       20. The transparent display of  claim 11 , wherein the nanocrystalline diamond film is deposited on to the glass substrate using source gases comprising:
 methane at a concentration of 3 standard cubic centimeters per minute (SCCM);   hydrogen at a concentration of 4 SCCM; and   argon at a concentration of 300 SCCM.    
     
     
       21. The transparent display of  claim 11 , wherein the nanocrystalline diamond film comprises a grain size less than one micrometer.  
     
     
       22. The transparent display of  claim 11 , wherein the nanocrystalline diamond film comprises a grain size from about 200 nm to about 300 nm.  
     
     
       23. The transparent display of  claim 11 , wherein the nanocrystalline diamond film comprises a grain size less than or equal to 10 nm.