Formation of singular (001) terraces on the surface of single-crystal HPHT diamond substrates

Methods of the experimental diagnostics and control of the misorientation angle for single-crystal HPHT (High Pressure High Temperature) diamond substrates are discussed. Such substrates are used for the homoepitaxial growth of doped and undoped CVD diamond layers. The formation of singular (001) terraces on the surface of HPHT diamond after microwave-discharge-plasma etching in pure hydrogen or a hydrogen–oxygen mixture is observed. This phenomenon can be used for rapid determination of the substrate misorientation and to improve the control precision of the deviation angle during substrate polishing, or for obtaining large singular (001) areas of single-crystal diamond substrates.