The nickel/diamond(100)–(2 ×1)H interface has been studied using Auger electron spectroscopy, electron energy loss spectroscopy and low-energy electron diffraction. Deposition of ultrathin nickel films at room temperature results in the formation of disordered nickel islands, whereas heteroepitaxial growth is achieved during deposition at 520 K. At temperatures above 850 K nickel interaction with the uppermost diamond layers causes graphitization of the diamond surface, a process which starts only at temperatures above 1500 K on the clean diamond surface.

The initial stages of homoepitaxial island formation on Si(100)2×1 by SiH4 decomposition under ultra high vacuum chemical vapor deposition conditions are studied by scanning tunneling microscopy and kinetic model calculations. The concentrations of the intermediate species formed on the surface during SiH4 decomposition are calculated from the kinetic parameters of the dissociation cascade leading to Si film growth in the temperature regime of 500 to 800 K and for SiH4 pressures in the range of 2×10-7 to 2×10-5 mbar. Experimental results showing the surface topography after interaction with SiH4 at various surface temperatures and deposition rates are presented, and the observed surface structures are related to the different surface conditions, i.e., deposition flux and sample temperature, under which islands are formed.

The interaction between Si͑100͒2ϫ1 and SiH 4 under UHV chemical vapor deposition conditions between 550 and 690 K is studied with high-resolution scanning tunneling microscopy and kinetic model calculations.In addition to small anisotropic Si islands and patches of hydrogen-terminated substrate, metastable crossshaped structural tetramer units are formed in this temperature region. These tetramers are interpreted as a combination of four SiH 2 groups connecting four Si substrate atoms, and their coverage is correlated with the decomposition kinetics of SiH 2 . ͓S0163-1829͑97͒05707-X͔

The interaction between silver and a boron doped diamond single crystal has been characterized by Auger electron spectroscopy, ionization loss spectroscopy, and low energy electron diffraction. Silver deposition (equivalent film thickness 3–15 Å) at room temperature results in the formation of silver islands. During subsequent thermal annealing, silver islands cluster and finally desorb. In contrast to other metals, neither intermixing nor graphitization or carbide formation at the silver-diamond interface are observed.

The evolution of the tantalum/diamond interface upon room-temperature Ta deposition on the (100) surface of a boron doped, synthetically grown diamond single crystal was monitored by Auger electron spectroscopy (AES), ionization loss spectroscopy (ILS), and electron energy loss spectroscopy (ELS). Characteristic loss peaks indicate carbide formation at the interface from very low coverages on, reflecting the strong interaction between tantalum and carbon. Thicker layers of TaC are formed during subsequent thermal annealing by diffusion of carbon into the tantalum film, at the same time the topmost diamond region is transformed into poorly ordered graphitic carbon.