Abstract: A process for synthesizing diamond includes bringing a reactant gas is brought into contact with a porous heating element to form an activated gas, and bringing the activated gas into contact with a substrate to deposit diamond thereon. An apparatus for synthesizing diamond includes a heating means member including a porous heating element, a substrate, and a diamond depositing member. The reactant gas is heated and activated uniformly to a high temperature appropriate for synthesizing diamond by bringing the reactant gas into contact with the porous heating element, whereby a high quality polycrystalline diamond film can be deposited over a wider area on the surface of the substrate.

Abstract: Apparatus for producing crystalline ribbons of a material from a "crucible-less" configuration of bodies of the material including possible deposition on a substrate. Means for capacitively coupling electromagnetic energy into a source body of material are provided to appropriately induce electrical current gradients in order to control and restrict the molten zone and supress net loss of the heat of fusion from the balance of the ribbon-like body. The melt zone is replenished from any direction with ribbon or a bulk source to sustain the shape and size of the growing ribbon-like body. The heat of crystallization is selectively removed by a heat sink from one end of the melt zone in a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction of pulling.