Routes to Diamond Heteroepiitaxy

This paper reviews the status of diamond heteroepitaxy approached by chemical vapor deposition and by physical methods. Reported are experiments with cubic boron nitride and nickel conducted with the help of microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition. X-ray diffraction data confirm diamond heteroepitaxy on the (111) faces of cubic boron nitride crystals. Heteroepitaxy on nickel was not demonstrated yet nevertheless suppression of graphite nucleation was achieved by formation of nickel hydride.