The residual stresses of the Ti/TiC/diamond interfaces have been
characterized at different stages of diamond growth using Raman spectroscopy
and x-ray diffraction. It is found that the tensile stress dominates in the
pure Ti surface and that carbon turns the tensile surface stress of the Ti
into compression upon the TiC interlayer formation. The compressive stress
in the TiC interlayer and the tensile stress of Ti reduce gradually with the
thickness of diamond films. Findings agree with the recent modelling
predictions: (i) surface bond contraction induces intrinsically the tensile
stress of a clean metal surface, and (ii) carbide formation turns the
tensile surface stress of the metal surface to be compressive.