Pyrolytic graphite and cured graphite adhesive are effective and other forms of graphite may be effective.
Effective metals are chromium, nickel, and titanium.
The diamond film deposition occurs at substrate temperatures as low as 650 degrees C. and may be facilitated by a positive voltage bias of the substrate relative to an enclosing vacuum chamber wall. Partial coating of a graphite surface with the metal results in diamond deposition only at the coated portion. A grid of diamond film has thus been deposited on graphite by application of a nickel screen to the graphite, and diamond film may be deposited in a desired pattern by masking the substrate to deposit the metal at selected substrate portions.