Apparatuses and methods to manufacture integrated circuits are described. A method of forming film on a substrate is described. The film is formed on a substrate by exposing a substrate to a diamond-like carbon precursor having an sp.sup.3 content of greater than 40 percent. Methods of etching a substrate are described. Electronic devices comprising a diamond-like carbon film are also described.

A superhard construction comprises a substrate comprising a peripheral surface, an interface surface and a longitudinal axis and a super hard material layer formed over the substrate and having an exposed outer surface forming a working surface, a peripheral surface extending therefrom and an interface surface. One of the interface surface of the substrate or the interface surface of the super hard material layer comprises one or more projections arranged to project from the interface surface, the height of the one or more projections being between around 0.2 mm to around 1.0 mm measured from the lowest point on the interface surface from which the one or more projections extend.

A superhard construction comprises a substrate comprising a peripheral surface, an interface surface and a longitudinal axis and a super hard material layer formed over the substrate and having an exposed outer surface forming a working surface, a peripheral surface extending therefrom and an interface surface. One of the interface surface of the substrate or the interface surface of the super hard material layer comprises one or more projections arranged to project from the interface surface, the height of the one or more projections being between around 0.2 mm to around 1.0 mm measured from the lowest point on the interface surface from which the one or more projections extend.

Luminescent diamond is made by subjecting a volume of diamond grains to high-pressure/high-temperature conditions with or without a catalyst or pressure transfer media to cause the grains to undergo plastic deformation to produce nitrogen vacancy defects, increasing the luminescent activity/intensity of the resulting diamond material. The consolidated diamond material may be further treated to further increase luminescent activity/intensity including reducing the consolidated diamond material to diamond particles, heat treatment in vacuum, and/or air heat treatment. The resulting luminescent diamond particles display a level of luminescence intensity greater than that of conventional luminescent nanodiamond, and may be functionalized for use in biological applications.

A method for manufacturing diamond substrate of using source gas containing hydrocarbon gas and hydrogen gas to form diamond crystal on an underlying substrate by CVD method, to form a diamond crystal layer having nitrogen-vacancy centers in at least part of the diamond crystal, nitrogen or nitride gas is mixed in the source gas, wherein the source gas is: 0.005 volume % or more and 6.000 volume % or less of the hydrocarbon gas; 93.500 volume % or more and less than 99.995 volume % of the hydrogen gas; and 5.0×10.sup.−5 volume % or more and 5.0×10.sup.−1 volume % or less of the nitrogen gas or the nitride gas, and the diamond crystal layer having the nitrogen-vacancy centers is formed. A method for manufacturing a diamond substrate to form an underlying substrate, a diamond crystal having a dense nitrogen-vacancy centers (NVCs) with an orientation of NV axis by performing the CVD.

A method and system of using a type of wave rotor to reform a hydrocarbon fluid using pressure waves within the wave rotor to reformulate a hydrocarbon fluid, such as methane or the like, into a lighter hydrocarbon, hydrogen, or, in some instances, hydrogen, partially decomposed hydrocarbon fluid and carbon solids.

A method and system of using a type of wave rotor to reform a hydrocarbon fluid using pressure waves within the wave rotor to reformulate a hydrocarbon fluid, such as methane or the like, into a lighter hydrocarbon, hydrogen, or, in some instances, hydrogen, partially decomposed hydrocarbon fluid and carbon solids.

An apparatus containing at least one electrochemical cell with an electrode structure. The electrode structure contains at least one carbide chemical compound. The carbide chemical compound may be a salt-like carbide. The electrode may contain at least one electronically conductive element different from the carbide. Carbon compositions of various forms may be formed by the methods and apparatus using the electrode structure. Large pieces of pure carbon may be produced. Post-reaction processing of the carbon may be carried out such as exfoliation.

An apparatus containing at least one electrochemical cell with an electrode structure. The electrode structure contains at least one carbide chemical compound. The carbide chemical compound may be a salt-like carbide. The electrode may contain at least one electronically conductive element different from the carbide. Carbon compositions of various forms may be formed by the methods and apparatus using the electrode structure. Large pieces of pure carbon may be produced. Post-reaction processing of the carbon may be carried out such as exfoliation.

A process for manufacturing a porous diamond having a tridimensional (3D) structure. The process comprises the steps of using a substrate with a pre-defined shape and a plurality of pores of a defined porosity shape and size, heating a reactant hydrocarbon gas and reactant hydrogen in a filament to form a product gas, depositing an activated carbon atom from the product gas onto the substrate, wherein the activated carbon atom reacts with the substrate to form a diamond structure on the substrate, and completely removing the substrate to obtain the 3D pure porous diamond structure, wherein the 3D pure porous diamond structure is formed entirely of diamond and is identical in shape and porosity shape and size of the plurality of pores as that of the substrate. The 3D pure porous diamond structure formed is of a controlled thickness and porosity, and devoid of the substrate.