Chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and related processes have been developed as a means of producing synthetic diamond at relatively low temperatures and pressures. However, in spite of recent progress, CVD diamond is less than satisfactory because the deposits are polycrystalline in form with grains of varying sizes and orientations. Ion implantation of diamond and polycrystalline diamond (an alternative technique) creates substantial radiation damage, amorphization, and ultimately graphitization. The ion bombarded layers created on diamond substrates are substantially softer than the bulk materials, and are therefore much easier to polish. This project will provide a proof-of-principle study, demonstrating a process for polishing polycrystalline diamond which consists of ion implantation followed by mechanical polishing. Optical quality finishes significantly better than those which can be obtained from mechanical polishing alone are produced by such sequential implantation and polishing; it is anticipated that this process will significantly simplify the polishing of polycrystalline diamond.
