Published online by Cambridge University Press: 15 February 2011
The density and elastic properties of a 1.9 μm thick polycrystalline diamond film deposited on a silicon substrate were measured by surface acoustic wave (SAW) spectroscopy. A density of 3.45±0.05 g/cm3, Young's modulus of 940 ± 20 GPa and Poisson's ratio below 0.12 were determined from the dispersion of a broadband coherent surface acoustic wave pulse propagating in the layered system. The surface wave pulses were generated using a ns UV laser pulse and detected with a piezoelectric foil transducer.