Microstructure and properties of nanocomposite diamond films obtained by anew CVD-based technique

a new hybrid CVD-powder flowing technique has been adopted in order to grow diamond-based composite materials in form of thin films, coatings and free -standing layers. We report details of the synthesis procedure that allows to control incorporation of nanometer-sized powdered species (metals and se miconductors) in form of aggregates, clusters or nanosized dispersions insi de a polycrystalline diamond matrix. The focus is on microstructure and act ual properties (electrical, optical) connected with the deposition procedur e of some representative nanocomposite layers. The electrical behaviour of Nd-containing diamond films and the room-temperature emission in the 2.0-2. 4 eV region by the Si-containing films are reported and discussed.