Microscopic Mechanism for Mechanical Polishing of Diamond (110) Surfaces

M. R. Jarvis; Ruben Pérez; F. M. van Bouwelen; M. C. Payne

doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.80.3428

Microscopic Mechanism for Mechanical Polishing of Diamond (110) Surfaces

M. R. Jarvis, Ruben Pérez, F. M. van Bouwelen, and M. C. Payne

Phys. Rev. Lett. 80, 3428 – Published 20 April 1998

Abstract

Mechanically induced degradation of diamond, as occurs during polishing, is studied using total-energy pseudopotential calculations. The strong asymmetry in the rate of polishing between different directions on the diamond (110) surface is explained in terms of an atomistic mechanism for nanogroove formation. The postpolishing surface morphology and the nature of the polishing residue predicted by this mechanism are consistent with experimental evidence.

Received 25 November 1997

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.80.3428

Authors & Affiliations

M. R. Jarvis¹, Ruben Pérez², F. M. van Bouwelen³, and M. C. Payne¹

¹Theory of Condensed Matter, Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Madingley Road, Cambridge CB3 OHE, United Kingdom
²Departamento de Física Teórica de la Materia Condensada, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, E-28049 Madrid, Spain
³Applied Physics, Faculty of Science, University of Nijmegen, Toernooiveld 1, 6525 ED Nijmegen, The Netherlands