Dislocation Mechanism of Diamond Crystal Growth from Fe-Ni-C System at High Temperature-High Pressure

Some dislocations, which are generated in the diamond single crystal during the diamond crystal growth from Fe-Ni-C system, may affect diamond crystal growth mode at high temperature-high pressure (HPHT). The concentric dislocation loops were successfully examined by Moire images. The surface morphologies of growing and as-grown diamond single crystals were observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The concentric dislocation loops formation process and their effect on the diamond crystal growth mode were analyzed. It should be noted that whatever the nature of the dislocation is, should the Burgers vector of dislocation has a component at the direction normal to the growth interface, the dislocation will make the face parallel to the growth interface grow into spiral face. The presence of consecutive spiral steps on the diamond crystal surface also provides a direct evidence of the dislocation mechanism of diamond crystal growth.