Polycrystalline Diamond: Recent Advances in CVD Synthesis and Applications

This chapter is focused on the advances in the field of polycrystalline diamond (PCD) material, with emphasis on the recent works published in the period of 2017–2023. In comparison to single crystals of diamond, high-quality PCD materials are much easier to synthesize using the chemical vapor depositionChemical vapor deposition (CVD) technique, while losing only slightly the main characteristics of the material. This chapter touches upon various aspects of the synthesis and application of such materials, including microcrystalline diamondMicrocrystalline diamond (MCD), nanocrystalline diamondNanocrystalline diamond (NCD), and diamond-based compositesDiamond-based composites. We discuss all stages of the CVD formation of PCD materials, such as nucleation and seeding, effects of gas composition on the structure of the film, the design of the material by a combination of various CVD growth regimes, and by handling the plasma shape with elaborate substrate holders. Lastly, we highlight new ways to use polycrystalline diamond as a cutting-edge material in various applications like optics and photonics, electronics, X-ray luminescent screens, and hard coatings on cutting tool.