It has been found that the abrasion of diamond-on-diamond depends on the crystal orientation. For a {100} face, the friction coefficient for sliding along <011> is much higher than that along <001>. For a {111} face, the abrasion along <11> is different from that in the reverse direction <>. To interpret these effects, a microcleavage mechanism was proposed in which the {100} and {111} surfaces were assumed to be composed of square-based pyramids and trigonal protrusions, respectively. Reflection electron microscopy (REM) has been applied to image the microstructures of these diamond surfaces.{111} surfaces of synthetic diamond:The synthetic diamonds used in this study were obtained from the De Beers Company. They are in the as-grown condition with grain sizes of 0.5-1 mm without chemical treatment or mechanical polishing. By selecting a strong reflected beam in the reflection high-energy electron diffraction (RHEED) pattern, the dark-field REM image of the surface is formed (Fig. 1).
