Deposition of smooth diamond coatings on titanium alloy.

A new process has been perfected to deposit smooth diamond coatings, at 600 degrees C, on titanium alloys. Scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffrac tion, visible and UV Raman spectroscopy show that these coatings are smooth and mainly composed of crystalline diamond with a fine-grained morphology. The results are compared here to those obtained with classical rough polyc rystalline coatings. Optical emission spectroscopy reveals important differ ences between the plasma species produced for the deposition of these smoot h coatings and the plasma species Produced for the deposition of both polyc rystalline diamond and nanocrystalline films. (C) 2000 Academie des science s / Editions scientifiques et medicales Elsevier SAS.