Laser induced phase transformation and vapour deposition of amorphous and crystalline carbon phases

As a characteristic trend in the material science of our days, new technologies are being investigated with the aim of preparing phases and structures not accessible by means of the conventional ones. Physical and chemical processes far from thermodynamic equilibrium seem to be suitable for this purpose because they may lead to a variety of metastable phases. With respect to possible applications, only those phases are worth investigating which prove sufficiently stable under working conditions. One should look for them among covalently or ionically bound solids, as those types of bonding most likely resist microstructural changes. This has been the reason why we have investigated metastable carbon phases created in non-equilibrium processes