Surface activated bonding between bulk single crystal diamond and bulk aluminum

Direct bonding between single crystal diamond and bulk aluminum was successfully achieved by surface activated bonding in vacuum at room temperature. The resultant interface was observed by transmission electron microscopy. During the surface activation process, the surface of the diamond was disordered by argon fast atom bombardment. Consequently, a defect structure of the diamond with a width of 5.8 nm was observed at the bonded interface. According to the results of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, 26% of the diamond exhibited induced radiation damage as a defect diamond layer; however the rest remained as intrinsic diamond. (author)