ABSTRACT
The biocompatibility of chemical-vapour-deposited (CVD) diamond surfaces has been assessed. Our results indicate that CVD diamond is as biocompatible as titanium (Ti) and 316 stainless steel (SS). First, the amount of adsorbed and 'denatured' fibrinogen on CVD diamond was very close to that of Ti and SS. Second, both in vitro and in vivo there appears to be less cellular adhesion and activation on the surface of CVD diamond surfaces compared to Ti and SS. This evident biocompatibility, coupled with the corrosion resistance and notable mechanical integrity of CVD diamond, suggests that diamond-coated surfaces may be highly desirable in a number of biomedical applications.
Subject(s)
Diamond/chemistry , Fibrinogen/metabolism , Absorption , Biocompatible Materials , Cell Adhesion/physiology , Copper/chemistry , Copper/metabolism , Diamond/metabolism , Humans , Microscopy, Electron, Scanning , Neutrophils/cytology , Neutrophils/physiology , Neutrophils/ultrastructure , Prostheses and Implants/standards , Protein Denaturation , Stainless Steel/chemistry , Titanium/chemistry , Titanium/metabolism , VolatilizationABSTRACT
Interferometric testing at the design wavelength is required for accurately characterizing the wave front of an imaging system operating in the extreme ultraviolet. The fabrication of point-diffraction interferometer apertures for extreme ultraviolet wave-front aberration analysis is described. The apertures are formed in a 200-nm-thick low-pressure chemical-vapor-deposited Si(3)N(4) film and vary in size from approximately 0.10 to 0.50 µm to generate a reference wave front of varying numerical aperture. A graded absorber overcoat is used to control the intensity of the aberrated wave front.Optimal fringe contrast can be obtained when the aperture that provides the maximum uniformity and contrast in the interference plane is selected.
ABSTRACT
Advances in the deposition process have led to dramatic improvements in the electronic properties of polycrystalline diamond films produced by chemical vapor deposition (CVD). It is now possible to produce CVD diamond with properties approaching those of IIa natural diamonds. The combined electron-hole mobility, as measured by transient photoconductivity at low carrier density, is 4000 square centimeters per volt per second at an electric field of 200 volts per centimeter and is comparable to that of the best single-crystal IIa natural diamonds. Carrier lifetimes measured under the same conditions are 150 picoseconds for the CVD diamond and 300 picoseconds for single-crystal diamond. The collection distance at a field of 10 kilovolts per centimeter is 15 micrometers for the CVD diamond as compared to 30 micrometers for natural diamonds. The electrical qualities appear to correlate with the width of the diamond Raman peak. Also, although the collection distance at the highest fields in the films nearly equals the average grain size, there is no evidence of deleterious grain boundary effects.
ABSTRACT
Polycrystalline diamond films synthesized by microwave-assisted chemical vapor deposition (MACVD) were examined with transient photoconductivity, and two fundamental electrical transport properties, the carrier mobility and lifetime, were measured. The highest mobility measured is 50 centimeters squared per volt per second at low initial carrier densities (<10(15) per cubic centimeter). Electron-hole scattering causes the carrier mobility to decrease at higher carrier densities. Although not measured directly, the carrier lifetime was inferred to be 40 picoseconds. The average drift length of the carriers is smaller than the average grain size and appears to be limited by defects within the grains. The carrier mobility in the MACVD films is higher than values measured in lower quality dc-plasma films but is much smaller than that of single-crystal natural diamond.
