Element 6: Diamonds at the forefront of electronic technology

Recently, Adrian Wilson, head of Element Six Technology, accepted an exclusive interview with British media AzoM, detailing the characteristics of synthetic diamonds and the application of diamonds in many industrial fields.

Moderator Gary Thomas : Please tell us about the basics of Element Six and the company's main business.

Adrian Wilson : Element Six was founded in the 1960s and is a member of the De Beers group. It specializes in the research and development of synthetic diamond superhard materials and has a broad domestic and international market. At present, Element Six has a total asset value of 500 million and has production facilities in 10 countries around the world, serving more than 5,000 customer businesses.

The superior properties of synthetic diamonds have led to the widespread use of intermediate and end products in applications such as optics, semiconductors, sanitary processing, water treatment and sensors.

GT : Element Six focuses on R&D and production of super-hard materials. Can you elaborate on the concept of “superhard” and related products?

AW : Unique engineering materials such as synthetic diamond, cubic boron nitride, polycrystalline diamond, tungsten carbide, etc. are called superhard materials; they are widely used in many industrial fields due to their superior performance.
For example, the molecular structure of synthetic diamond is very special, which makes diamond a "universal" material; the carbon atoms made up of a compact tetrahedral structure make it hard and have a higher hardness than any other substance in the world.

Due to its high hardness, synthetic diamond can be used as an ideal tool for oil and gas drilling, with long service life and high wear resistance. Secondly, diamond has a high thermal conductivity and can be used in heat dissipation equipment for electronic devices.

In addition, when micro-current flows inside the diamond, ozone can also be generated for the development of new powerful disinfectants and environmentally friendly bleaches. These are just the tip of the iceberg for advanced applications of synthetic diamonds.

GT : Diamond is also called diamond. For diamonds, people always associate their glamorous appearance with jewelry. And for synthetic diamond, what special properties does it play an important role in industrial applications?

AW : The hardness of synthetic diamond is very high, which gives it an unrivalled advantage in mechanical and abrasive applications, while also having the following characteristics:

The most extensive optical projection spectrum, high thermal conductivity, wide electronic band gap, high heat resistance, high electrical insulation performance, and good biochemical inertia.

The high thermal conductivity of diamond can be applied to electronics and semiconductor manufacturing; the high-power resistant synthetic diamond can be used in optical lenses of laser plasma EUV lithography systems.

As an electrode, diamond can be used in wastewater treatment and production of strong oxidants; in electroanalytical applications, synthetic diamond sensing materials, like biochemical sensors, have stable electrochemical performance and provide high sensitivity, responsiveness and selectivity. .

The latest applications of synthetic diamonds have also expanded into the quantum field: quantum safety communication, quantum computing, magnetic/electric field induction, and so on.

GT : What are the similarities and differences between synthetic diamond and natural diamond?

AW : First of all, the molecular structure of the two is the same. The main difference between the two is that synthetic diamond is made by artificial methods: chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and high temperature and high pressure synthesis (HPHT).

The preparation of diamond by the HPHT method requires more than 55,000 standard atmospheric pressure and high temperature growth conditions. For the preparation of diamond by CVD, the corresponding substrate material and gas mixture are needed; mainly methane and hydrogen are used as carbon sources, and they become chemically active radicals by ionization and the like.

Today, Element Six has maturely used diamond to produce diamonds, has stable control of diamond impurities and properties, and grows diamonds over a large area on a variety of substrate materials. At the same time, the preparation of diamond can be flexibly adjusted according to different application requirements.

GT : In terms of heat dissipation equipment, can you tell us more about the specific functions and functions of diamond?

AW : Most materials with high thermal conductivity have good electrical conductivity. However, although synthetic diamond has a high thermal conductivity, its electrical conductivity is small enough to be negligible. This feature is undoubtedly ideal for heat dissipation in electronic equipment. Effective heat dissipation not only extends the life of the electronics, but also does not affect its performance.

In semiconductor technology, synthetic diamond heat sinks can effectively prevent excessive heating of silicon materials and other semiconductor materials. According to Moore's law, the smaller the electronic device and the higher the power, the weaker the heat treatment capability. In view of this, the efficient thermal conductivity of diamond and its heat dissipation applications are particularly important.

GT : For the above equipment, why does Element Six choose CVD to produce diamonds? How does this method affect the final performance of diamond heat sinks?

AW : In Element Six, we use a patented microwave CVD process to grow synthetic diamond. The CVD method allows the growth of diamond to be controlled, the impurity composition to be minimized, and the control of diamonds to impart important properties. This approach ensures the production of highly consistent, performance-controlled diamonds for use in a wide range of equipment, including heat-dissipating components for high-power electronics.

GT : For the six-element GaN diamond semiconductor technology, can you give a detailed introduction, how is this technology applied to specific industrial fields?

AW : GaN diamond semiconductor wafers are the first commercial product of its kind. This technology is mainly used in the manufacture of high power, high temperature and high frequency transistor circuits. Gallium nitride diamond material can achieve high-efficiency and energy-saving heat discharge, reduce the operating temperature of the packaged device, and solve nearly 50% of the faults caused by heat dissipation in electronic equipment.

Gallium nitride diamond wafers are currently one of the most ideal thermal materials in the world. In fact, the thermal conductivity of GaN polycrystalline CVD diamond is five times that of copper at room temperature, which effectively reduces the operating temperature, saves the overall system cost, and greatly enhances the power of the RF device. In the case of power amplifiers and microwave/millimeter wave circuits, gallium nitride diamond technology is implemented to reduce the operating temperature of the device while maintaining the output power.

GT : What breakthroughs do synthetic diamonds have in quantum technology?

AW : Not long ago, Element Six cooperated with the Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands to successfully achieve quantum entanglement between two diamond atomic defects.

This technological breakthrough is of great significance for the realization of diamond quantum network, quantum repeater and long-distance information transmission. It can change the way of information processing and provide a new processing system for the problems that information networks and computers cannot solve.

Quantum entanglement technology is achieved using light and microwave and synthetic diamond defects. That is, the diamond nitrogen vacancy center (NV) is often said in the art.

The beam emitted by the nitrogen vacancy defect allows the quantum properties of the defect to be read under the microscope. By forming small crystals near the NV defect and using the electric field to adjust the beam, the Delft research team caused two NV defects to emit two indistinguishable photons containing the relevant quantum information of the NV defect, and then proceeding further. Processing achieves quantum mechanical entanglement of two defects.

This discovery is an affirmation of our ability to control the single atomic defects in diamond crystals at one of the technical standards of one trillion. This not only helps us develop a quantum network that processes information, but also develops quantum computers in the future.

GT : What are the diamond technologies that will play an important role in the development of Element Six business in the future?

AW : The use of diamond inert and boron-doped conductivity to produce highly reversible electrochemical sensors.

The use of boron-doped diamond in a two-pole electrochemical cell to replace corrosive liquids, reduce harmful chemicals, and achieve environmentally friendly battery production.

Development of dome-shaped diamond high-frequency loudspeaker components in high-end audio equipment.

A miniature magnetometer was developed using single crystal diamond with a nitrogen vacancy center and sensed by the strength and direction of the magnetic field.

GT : What are the typical problems encountered in the process of using synthetic diamonds? How is Element Six solved?

AW : For some emerging applications, our customers are often not familiar with it and don't know how to use it. In this regard, Element Six will provide application support, including the most basic technical advice, on-site technical guidance and so on.

GT : What do you think about the development of synthetic diamonds in the future of engineering and electronics?

AW : As electronic devices demand more and more power density, heat treatment problems will increase dramatically; synthetic diamonds will play an increasingly important role in thermal conductivity, especially in RF and power devices.

For non-abrasive applications of diamonds, we are very optimistic about the use of diamonds in optics, sensors and water treatment because diamonds offer unparalleled commercial value to our customers.

In diamond grinding applications, with the processing of more new composite materials, customers will have higher requirements for aesthetic design. Diamond as a material with low wear rate will continue to exert its superior grinding performance and provide customers with Quality service. (Compiled from "Synthetic Diamonds And Electronic Applications – An Interview With Adrian Wilson")

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