Unique Properties of Synthetic Diamonds

Synthetic diamond's unique properties make it ideally suited for a wide variety of applications including precision machining, drilling/crushing, optics, acoustics, electronics, sensors and water treatment. The article takes a closer look at the specific properties of diamond and the advantages/uses of those properties in certain industries.

Thermal properties 

With the highest known thermal conductivity (four times higher than copper), synthetic diamond is the ideal material for thermal management applications requiring optimum performance. Considering 50 percent of electronic failures occur due to heat-related issues, CVD diamond is invaluable in all types of electronic and electrical applications, including telecommunications and microelectronic devices, where the build-up of heat can destroy delicate circuitry or severely impair performance. Properly dissipating heat is also key to enabling smaller, more powerful electronic devices.

Electronic properties 

Synthetic diamond's electrical properties include a low dielectric constant and loss, high electrical carrier mobility and a wide electronic bandgap (meaning low leakage currents even under high voltages). Element Six has also engineered a range of electronic grade CVD diamond material that can be used in a variety of demanding radiation detection applications including high energy physics, neutron and other high energy/radiation detection and homeland security applications. Synthetic diamond is also at the forefront of advances in quantum mechanics, due to certain spin defects such as nitrogen vacancy centers that can be easily manipulated and controlled.

Electrochemical properties 

Synthetic diamond is chemically and biologically inert and can survive in severe physical, chemical and radioactive environments that would destroy lesser materials. Its unique electrochemical properties enable the efficient oxidation of organic and inorganic compounds and Element Six investment has resulted in the successful application of a synthetic diamond-based product in industrial and household water treatment. Synthetic diamond also has high efficient wastewater treatment applications for low volume, highly contaminated industrial wastewater that cannot be treated by biological methods. One method developed by Element Six, the Diamox treatment process, is capable of near mineralization of dissolved organic compounds, allowing opportunities for direct discharge or even reuse of wastewater.

Optical properties

Synthetic diamond has the widest spectral band of any known material—extending from ultraviolet to far infrared and the millimeter-wave microwave band. Coupled with its mechanical and thermal properties, this makes it the ideal 'window' material for many industrial, R&D, defense and laser applications, particularly in the production of laser optics where synthetic diamond provides optimum exit windows for CO₂ lasers, such as those used in automotive cutting applications. Element Six single crystal synthetic diamond and polycrystalline CVD diamond solutions are found at the core of high power CO₂ lasers, disk lasers and solid state lasers, and enable a stable and enduring high optical quality of the laser beam.