PLASMA SHAPING FOR DIAMOND GROWTH

1 . A system for growing diamonds, the system comprising:

a chemical vapor deposition reactor, the reactor including a microwave chamber;

a single-crystal seed configured to be positioned in the chamber;

a precursor gas;

a microwave source configured to energize the precursor gas to produce a plasma plume;

an electromagnetic source configured to generate a steering field to adjust a position of the plasma plume in the chamber and/or to adjust a shape of the plasma plume.

2 . The system as defined by claim 1 , wherein the microwave source produces a first electric field that energizes the gas, the first electric field and the steering field being at least partially superposed.

3 . The system as defined by claim 1 , further comprising a mechanical support on which the single-crystal seed is positioned.

4 . The system as defined by claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of single-crystal seeds, the single-crystal seeds formed from diamond.

5 . The system as defined by claim 1 , wherein the electrically charged gas includes methane and hydrogen.

6 . The system as defined by claim 1 , wherein the energy source emits microwave radiation.

7 . The system as defined by claim 1 , wherein the electromagnetic source includes a magnetic coil, and/or an electrically charged ring.

8 . The system as defined by claim 3 , wherein the electromagnetic source includes an electrically biased mechanical support.

9 . The system as defined by claim 1 , further comprising a deposition feedback system.

10 . The system as defined by claim 9 , wherein the deposition feedback system determines a temperature of one or more seeds, measures a dimension of one or more grown diamonds, and/or determines a shape of a plasma plume.

11 . A method of growing diamonds, the method comprising:

generating a plasma plume in a chamber, the chamber configured so that the plasma plume is unstable or metastable, such that the plasma plume moves between a first position and a second position; and

biasing the plasma plume towards the first position.

12 . The method as defined by claim 11 , further comprising generating an electric field for biasing the plasma plume.

13 . The method as defined by claim 11 , further comprising generating a magnetic field for biasing the plasma plume.

14 . The method as defined by claim 11 , further comprising:

providing a single-crystal seed in the chamber;

depositing carbon from the plasma plume onto the single-crystal seed to form diamond.

15 . The method as defined by claim 14 , wherein the single-crystal seed is on a mechanical support.

16 . The method as defined by claim 15 , wherein the first position is above the single-crystal seed, and the second position is at a top of the chamber.

17 . The method as defined by claim 11 , wherein the chamber is a cylindrical chamber.

18 . The method as defined by claim 11 , further comprising creating a second magnetic field or electric field to modify the shape of the biased plasma plume.

19 . A method of controlling diamond growth, the method comprising:

providing a single-crystal seed in a growth environment;

energizing a gas containing carbon to produce a plasma plume; and

creating steering fields to modulate the carbon atom deposition characteristics of the plasma plume.

20 . The method as defined by claim 19 , wherein the growth environment is within a chemical vapor deposition chamber.

21 . The method as defined by claim 19 , wherein the gas is methane.

22 . The method as defined by claim 19 , wherein the steering fields change the shape of the plasma plume.

23 . The method as defined by claim 22 , further comprising changing the shape of a boundary of the plasma plume facing the seed to have a larger radius of curvature.

24 . The method as defined by claim 22 , further comprising increasing deposition area by changing the shape of the plasma plume to be wider.

25 . The method as defined by claim 19 , wherein the steering fields are created using one or more magnetic fields, electric fields, and/or electromagnetic fields.