Effect of ion implantation and scratch of silicon on diamond film nucleation has been studied. After the Si substrate was scratched, 100 keV Ar+ ions were implanted. Diamond film was deposited on the implanted Si. Nucleation density decreased as the dose amount was increased. When the dose amount was greater than 3 x 10(15) ions/cm2, almost no diamond particles had grown on the implanted area. The reason why ion implantation on Si substrates causes a decrease in the nucleation density was examined by reflection high-energy electron diffraction (RHEED), atomic force microscopy (AFM) in air and Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS).