Orientation relationship in diamond and silicon carbide composites

The interface structure in diamond–silicon carbide composites was studied by transmission electron microscopy. A previously unreported orientation relationship between diamond and silicon carbide was found, where the diamond (111) plane is parallel to the cubic silicon carbide (111) plane, while the <110> direction of one crystal is aligned with the <112> direction of the other. A schematic plane-view study shows that the above orientation gives rise to the smallest degree of lattice mismatch between the two materials while preserving the tetrahedral coordination across the interface.