The growth of heteroepitaxied films is a great challenge for diamond microe
lectronics applications and iridium is one of the better substrates to achi
eve it. In the present study, the early stages of diamond growth on iridium
have been studied by electron spectroscopy [Auger electron spectroscopy (A
ES), X-ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS)]. A graphite layer is rapidly f
ormed and its equivalent thickness was estimated from XPS data to some five
to 10 monolayers. Then, the graphite layers are strongly modified by the h
ighly reactive hydrogen radicals coming from the plasma. This induces a reh
ybridisation process into tetrahedral sp(3) configuration which could const
itute suitable sites for further diamond nucleation. (C) 2000 Elsevier Scie
nce B.V. All rights reserved.