High resolution neutron diffraction patterns of BaCex Zr1−x O3 (x = 0, 0.1, 0.4,0.8) were obtained at various temperatures. The phase diagram that was deduced from Raman measurements has been confirmed. Structural transitions occur in a fixed order Pnma-Imma- R $\bar{3}$ c-Pm3m as a function of temperature or composition. For BaCeO3, the large volume change that has been previously claimed at the Imma-R $\bar{3}$ c transition has been revisited and found inconsistent. For a given composition, the cell volume increases when temperature increases, but the MO6 (M=Ce-Zr) octahedron volume decreases. It is shown that the ratio of the cell volume to the octahedron volume is a good indicator of the phase transitions. Transitions occur at fixed values (5.77, 5.80 and 6 for the Pnma-Imma, Imma-R $\bar{3}$ c and R $\bar{3}$ c-Pm3m transitions respectively) independently of composition.

A sequential analysis of the growth of diamond films on silicon substrates in a microwave plasma assisted chemical vapor deposition (CVD) reactor has been performed by Raman spectroscopy. The plasma was switched off during measurements, but the substrate heating was maintained to minimize thermoelastic stresses. The detectivity of the present experimental setup has been estimated to be about a few tens of μmg/cm2. From such a technique, one expects to analyze different aspects of diamond growth on a non-diamond substrate. The evolution of the signals arising from the substrate shows that the scratching treatment used to increase the nucleation density induces an amorphization of the silicon surface. This surface is annealed during the first step of deposition. The evolution of the line shape of the spectra indicates that the non-diamond phases are mainly located in the grain boundaries. The variation of the integrated intensity of the Raman signals has been interpreted using a simple absorption model. A special emphasis was given to the evolution of internal stresses during deposition. It was verified that compressive stresses were generated when coalescence of crystals took place.

Vickers microindentations obtained with loads between 0.05 N and 2 N were performed on crystalline (100) silicon. The residual stress field and the different structural states induced by loading were studied by mapping the indented zones by their micro-Raman response. A Raman signature of amorphous silicon is found in the center of the impression. The energy of the Γ25 zone center phonon is found to vary from 522 cm−1 when probing the silicon at a distance of 80 μm from the center of the indentation up to 527 cm−1 when probing the pileup region of the impression. When probing cracked zones in the vicinity of the pileup region, wave numbers as high as 536 cm−1 are measured. The stress components induced by a point indentation (1 N) have been calculated from analytical expressions given in the literature. For an average conversion factor of 3.2 cm−1/GPa, the residual local stresses after unloading are found of the same order of magnitude or even larger than the calculated stresses that are generated during loading. A tentative explanation is proposed. Finally a systematic laser-induced thermal treatment of the central area and of the pileup region of indentations was performed. It is shown that the amorphous silicon in the center can partly recrystallize but that the residual stress state in the pileup region cannot be completely relaxed by local laser heating.