Diamond films are becoming more prevalent for application in microelectronic devices, tool bits, and optical coatings because of diamond’s hardness and high thermal conductivity. Growth of these thin films on existing thin film/substrate structures occurs at temperatures high enough to induce structural relaxation in substrates with low melting points, such as germanium. Such relaxation affects the stress of the depositing film. A numerical model of film growth of one film on a multilayered structure that relaxes has been developed. Results show that significant tensile stresses in the depositing film arise during the deposition process, even though the end resulting stress is compressive. With faster deposition rates, the magnitude of this tensile stress is reduced. Further analysis suggests that allowing the substrate to relax initially before the deposition process begins is beneficial to avoid harmful tensile stresses. ©1995 American Institute of Physics.