| The top spot of the gemstone market has long | | | | more so by adding boron and phosphorus during |
| been occupied by the brilliant, lustrous, diamond. | | | | the creation process, resulting in n-type or p-type |
| Technology, too, ranks diamonds very high, but | | | | semiconductors. The advantage over current |
| because of the stone's ability to conduct heat, its | | | | semiconductors is that diamonds as transistors |
| hardness (a perfect 10 on the Mohs scale of | | | | aren't vulnerable to radiation or chemical damage |
| mineral hardness) and its stability. The automotive | | | | and can handle much more heat than silicon. |
| industry uses diamond-edged saws and cutting | | | | These traits give man made diamonds a |
| tools. Medicine utilizes diamonds in lasers. Though in | | | | promising future in the electronics industry, |
| great demand, diamonds aren't in great supply. | | | | especially concerning power. |
| Mining is expensive and the quality can't be | | | | HPHT, high pressure, high temperature, is the |
| guaranteed, making pure diamonds quite rare. As | | | | original method of creating man made diamonds. |
| a result, the world's scientific minds began | | | | Using large presses that can weigh several tons, |
| developing ways to create man made diamonds. | | | | HPHT uses pressures of 5 GPa (giga pascals) and |
| Molecularly identical to the diamond, man made | | | | temperatures of 1,500 degrees Celsius to |
| diamonds are appropriate for the same | | | | recreate the earth's method of creating natural |
| applications. Due to the lower cost and the ability | | | | diamonds. Small, non gem-worthy chips and dust |
| to "grow" to specifications, synthetics may even | | | | are the result of this process, and usually in a |
| surpass naturally occurring diamonds. | | | | polycrystalline structure (unlike single crystal |
| Since man made diamond applications are the | | | | natural diamonds.) |
| same as for natural diamonds, they can be used | | | | These pressure created diamonds (PCD), in |
| as electrodes. Diamonds are chemically inert (non | | | | micrometer bits, are encased in a metal matrix, |
| reactive), allowing the electrodes to be used in | | | | hardening it and applying the result to tools. |
| situations where normal electrodes would be | | | | Machining tools, especially when machining |
| destroyed. Detecting redox (reduction/oxidation) | | | | non-ferrous alloys is another prime use of PCD. |
| reactions that normally can't be studied is another | | | | Drilling for oil is also a man made diamond |
| application for man made diamonds. Additionally, in | | | | application for PCD, but machining aluminum is the |
| water supplies, diamonds can sometime degrade | | | | principle use of PCD. In the automotive industry, |
| the redox-reactive organic contaminants. | | | | PCD are used to machine aluminum alloys that |
| Diamond is radiation hard and possesses a wide | | | | can cause tools extreme wear. The only |
| bandgap, making its use as a radiation detection | | | | cost-efficient way to machine these alloys is |
| device another man made diamond application. In | | | | diamond. |
| fact, especially due to its density mirroring that of | | | | As the method of man made diamond production |
| soft tissue, diamond has already been utilized in | | | | improves, so will man made diamond applications. |
| some physics experiments, particularly in the area | | | | Now with the recent breakthrough in CVD to |
| of quantum physics and matter/anti-matter | | | | grow diamonds, the stones can be cut by |
| particles. | | | | scientists into wafer shapes for use in technology. |
| Semiconductor use tops the list of man made | | | | Conductivity can be improved, too. The |
| applications. Already possessing thermal | | | | possibilities are endless, as time will tell. |
| conductivity, man made diamonds can be made | | | | |