Abstract: A method and apparatus for depositing patterned diamond including a container having a chamber sealed sufficiently to be evacuated to a low pressure, a support positioned in the said container, a grid extending within the container to divide it into a first chamber region and a second chamber region, a grid bias supply for creating an electric charge on the grid, a gas including a plurality of carbon-containing molecules and positioned within the first chamber region, a filament positioned within the first chamber region, a filament heater for heating the filament to a temperature sufficient to dissociate at least some of the carbon-containing molecules into a plurality of ions, a filament bias supply for creating an electric charge on the filament, a substrate on which diamond crystals can grow positioned in the second chamber region, a substrate bias supply for creating an electric charge on the substrate, and a substrate heater for heating the substrate to a temperature sufficient for the formation of diam

Abstract: Method and apparatus for the in-situ generation of volatile compounds within the process piping of a CVD system. A source of molecules is located upstream from a solid material which is desired to be deposited within a reactor chamber of the system. The molecules are acted upon by a disassociation means, such as a pyrolytic, plasma discharge, or radiation means, to form highly reactive free radicals. These free radicals are fragments of molecules containing unpaired electrons. In accordance with the invention, these highly reactive radicals are generated near the solid source material in a gas stream which transports the radicals to the solid material before the radicals recombine with one another to form unreactive molecules. The free radicals react with the solid source material to form volatile compounds, such as organometallic compounds, which are subsequently conveyed to the reaction chamber of the system for deposition therein.