Relationship with diamond nucleation

Nickel is one of the few materials possessing a close lattice match with diamond. However, its high carbon solubility and strong catalytic effect on hydrocarbon decomposition may be the reason that graphite layers develop on Ni substrates under the typical diamond CVD conditions. This effect impedes the direct nucleation of diamond on Ni substrates and excludes the eventual development of an orientational relationship between the diamond films and the Ni substrates, although diamond may eventually nucleate and grow on the graphite interlayers. 

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