Polycrystalline Diamond Film Optics

Professor Don Reinhard
Professor, Electrical and Computer Engineering
Michigan State University

ABSTRACT:
Diamond has an exceptionally wide optical transmission window, is resilient to chemical attack, and is highly resistant to abrasion. However, optical applications of diamond have traditionally been very limited because of the high cost of quality diamond, even for samples of modest dimensions. The development of chemical vapor deposition (CVD) methods to synthesize polycrystalline diamond has significantly altered the issue of material availability. For example, the literature has reported CVD formation of free-standing diamond structures in a variety of shapes, including domes, tubes and plates as well as the ability to form thin-film diamond coatings on a variety of substrates with diameters up to 20 cm and beyond. Consequently, optical applications not previously feasible are now within consideration. Nevertheless, there are several nontrivial issues associated with the application of CVD diamond films for optical purposes. This talk will describe results associated with optical studies of diamond films as anti-reflection coatings for silicon and as coatings for glass substrates. Performance related issues include the effect of surface roughness on transmission and, for glass substrates, adhesion considerations

BIO:
Don Reinhard has been on the faculty of Michigan State University since 1975 except for a leave-of-absence as a University Professor in the Microelectronics Group at the University of Wuppertal in Germany in 1992. His research area is solid state materials and devices. He has also been active in synthesis and post-processing of CVD diamond since 1988, with a current emphasis on low-temperature deposition and development of optical quality carbon films and on-silicon optical diamond structures. He is the author of a textbook on integrated circuit engineering and is co-editor of the book Diamond Thin Films, published by Marcel Dekker in 2002.

Don received his B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Purdue University in 1967, his M.S. from Massachusetts Institute of Technology in l968, and his Ph D. in Solid State Electronics from MIT as well.

Professional Academic Experience
1987 – present Professor of Electrical Engineering, Michigan State University,
1992 April-June Visiting University Professor, Microelectronics, University of Wuppertal, Germany
1980 – 1987 Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering, Michigan State University
1975 – 1980 Assistant Professor of Electrical Engineering and Radiology, Michigan State University
1973 – 1975 Research Fellow and Assistant Professor, Department of Thera-peutic Radiology, Tufts New England Medical Center