The research was carried out by scientists at Harbin Institute of Technology (HIT). Zhu Jiaqi of HIT's School of Astronautics and his research team played a key role in the development.
The technology is based on a process known as Microwave Plasma Chemical Vapor Deposition (MPCVD). The method creates carbon atoms within an ultra-clean environment and deposits them layer by layer onto a diamond seed crystal, allowing the formation of highly pure single-crystal diamonds with exceptional precision.
The breakthrough comes as China accelerates efforts to commercialize large-scale diamond manufacturing. On February 28, the country's first large-scale commercial manufacturing facility dedicated to ultra-large diamond thermal-management materials began operations. The facility is located in Changge, a county-level city in central Henan Province.
Traditionally, synthetic diamonds have been limited to widths of only a few millimeters. Chinese researchers first expanded crystal sizes to six inches and have more recently achieved eight-inch crystals. The manufacturing facility in Henan is now producing eight-inch diamond heat spreaders with a diameter of 20.3 centimeters, only slightly smaller than a standard basketball measuring approximately 24 centimeters in diameter.
The achievement marks a major step forward in advanced materials manufacturing. By demonstrating the ability to create large, high-purity single-crystal diamonds through MPCVD technology, Chinese researchers have expanded the potential for both commercial and industrial applications, positioning laboratory-grown diamonds for a much broader role in future technological development.
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