hypothesis is strongly supported by experimental observations of diamond deposition with
simultaneous graphite etching. Thermodynamic analysis of the C H system showed that
at∼ 1500 K, carbon solubility in the gas phase is minimal and thus, the equilibrium fraction
of solid carbon is maximal. Depending on whether gas phase nucleation takes place or not,
the driving force is for deposition or for etching of solid carbon below∼ 1500 K for the input …