Irradiation-induced transformation of graphite to diamond: A quantitative study

High-energetic particle irradiation of carbon structures containing a graph ite-diamond interface can lead to low-pressure diamond growth. A theoretica l model predicting irradiation-induced diamond growth has been presented in a previous paper [Zaiser and Banhart, Phys. Rev. Lett. 79, 3680 (1997)]. I n the present study, a quantitative experimental investigation of the phase transformation kinetics during electron irradiation in a high-voltage elec tron microscope is reported. Phase stability and phase transformation veloc ities are determined as functions of temperature, irradiation energy, and i ntensity. Experimentally determined phase boundaries and growth velocities are interpreted in terms of the theoretical model.