Non-equilibrium thermodynamics is successfully used for low pressure a
ctivated diamond syntheses. Binary carbon-hydrogen, carbon-oxygen, and
ternary carbon-hydrogen-oxygen phase diagrams for activated low press
ure diamond growth have been calculated on the base of a non-equilibri
um thermodynamic coupling model. Theoretical results agree excellently
with a lot of experimental data, especially, with Marinelli's critica
l experimental data. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V.