A MODEL KINETICS FOR NUCLEATION AT A SOLID-SURFACE WITH APPLICATION TO DIAMOND DEPOSITION FROM THE GAS-PHASE

A model kinetics has been developed which describes the time evolution of the surface densities of nucleation centers, germs, and nuclei of the new phase as might be occurring during chemical vapor deposition (CVD). The solutions of the system of three differential equations have been obtained for the case of small fractional surface coverage by the new phase and for the case when capture of both nucleation sites and germs should be included. The model, which refers to conditions of well-separated particles, has been applied to nucleation data obtained for diamond deposition by the hot-filament CVD method and allows for a satisfactory description of experimental data.