Page 96 - Visions of the Future Chemistry and Life Science

Diamond thin films 85

Figure 5.5. Electron micrographs of different types of diamond film grown on
silicon. The white bar shows the scale in micrometres ( m) (thousandths of a
millimetre). (a) The initial stages of diamond growth on a nickel substrate,
showing individual diamond crystallites nucleating in scratches and crevices
created on the surface by mechanical abrasion, (b) a randomly oriented film,
(c) a triangular-faceted film, (d) a square-faceted film, (e) a diamond film showing
highly aligned crystals, and (f) a nanocrystalline diamond film grown by using high
methane concentration. (Figures 5.5(b)–(e) are reproduced with permission of
Professor John Wilson, Heriot Watt University, UK.)