Mechanically induced interaction between diamond and transition metals

TL;DR

This study investigates mechanically induced mass transport between diamond and transition metals, demonstrating activation of interaction at the diamond-tungsten interface through nanoscale in-situ TEM scratching.

Contribution

It introduces a novel in-situ TEM scratching method to activate and study mass transport interactions at diamond-transition metal interfaces.

Findings

Interaction at diamond-tungsten interface can be activated by nanoscale scratching.

Weakly bonded metal-diamond interfaces require nanoscale stress to induce interaction.

Lattice structures were characterized before and after activation.

Abstract

Purely mechanically induced mass transport between diamond and transition metals are investigated using transition thin metal film-deposited AFM tip scratching and in situ TEM scratching test. Due to the weak strength of the transition metal-diamond joints and transition metal thin films, AFM scratching rarely activated the mass transport interaction at the diamond-transition metal thin film interfaces. In situ TEM scratching tests were performed by using a Nanofactory STM holder. The interaction at diamond and tungsten interface was successfully activated by nanoscale in-situ scratching under room temperature. The lattice structure of diamond and tungsten were characterized by HRTEM. The stress to activate the interaction was estimated by measuring the interplanar spacing change of tungsten nanotips before scratching and at the frame that the interaction was activated.