Insights into the atomic-scale removal mechanism of single crystal diamond in plasma-assisted polishing with quartz glass

N Liu and HL Jiang and JF Xiao and JG Zhang and X Chen and JM Zhu and JF Xu and K Yamamura, TRIBOLOGY INTERNATIONAL, 194, 109507 (2024).

DOI: 10.1016/j.triboint.2024.109507

The atomic removal mechanism in plasma-assisted polishing (PAP) of single crystal diamond (SCD) substrate is investigated using ReaxFF molecular dynamics simulation. For comparison, another two simulations, polishing without O radical irradiation, polishing with the O atoms' oxidation action omitted, are conducted. C atoms in PAP are removed by attachment to quartz glass via C -O -Si bonds or transformation into non-diamond. Such removals are achieved by the synergistic action of O atoms' oxidation and Si -O -C bonds' dragging force provided by plasma and quartz glass. As a result, material removal rate in PAP is much higher than that in another two cases. Thus, promoting the oxidizing properties of polishing plates and atmospheres is proposed as a route to accelerate diamond polishing efficiency.

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