Synthetic diamonds

[fell8]

Link

I also posted this in N&P, but the mention about diamond-based CPU I thought would be of some interest here.

What say?

 

[f95toli]

Cool!
CVD-grown diamonds! I can understand why that makes some people nervous.

 

[AbsolutDealage]

Definately an interesting read. Kinda makes me want to put off the engagement ring purchase for a year or so...

 

[Mday]

thing is, artificial diamonds can be created with higher purity and clarity than real ones. however, they are doped to make them identifiable.

 

[AbsolutDealage]

Originally posted by: Mday
thing is, artificial diamonds can be created with higher purity and clarity than real ones. however, they are doped to make them identifiable.

If you read the whole story though, the CVD diamonds will be completely indistiguishable from natural diamonds. Not even DeBeers most sensitive equipment will be able to tell the difference.

The diamond industry is in fact even more concerned about gems made using chemical vapor deposition than it is about Gemesis stones, though Gemesis poses a more immediate threat. The promise of CVD is that it produces extremely pure crystal. Gemesis diamonds grow in a metal solvent, and tiny particles of those metals get caught in the diamond lattice as it grows. CVD diamond precipitates as nearly 100 percent pure diamond and therefore may not be discernible from naturals, no matter how advanced the detection equipment.

 

[DrPizza]

wooohooo! Such great news! Down with DeBeers, and a boost for computers, all in one thread! In case you didn't read:

Diamond, it turns out, is a geek's best friend. Not only is it the hardest substance known, it also has the highest thermal conductivity - tremendous heat can pass through it without causing damage. Today's speedy microprocessors run hot - at upwards of 200 degrees Fahrenheit. In fact, they can't go much faster without failing. Diamond microchips, on the other hand, could handle much higher temperatures, allowing them to run at speeds that would liquefy ordinary silicon. But manufacturers have been loath even to consider using the precious material, because it has never been possible to produce large diamond wafers affordably. With the arrival of Gemesis, the Florida-based company, and Apollo Diamond, in Boston, that is changing. Both startups plan to use the diamond jewelry business to finance their attempt to reshape the semiconducting world

 

[RadioactiveHamzter]

Love the idea of using diamonds for chips, pity this technology will probably force alot of diamond mines in South Africa to close eventually.

 

[fell8]

Yeah, the loss of jobs in Africa will be unfortunate. Perhaps they will be replaced with something a little less deadly to the workers.

 

[f95toli]

If it means the ends for the "Blood diamonds" it also means the end for a civil war or two. It is not often you see CVD beeing used to create peace in the world...

 

[User1001]

this actually could have been done a long time ago. Damn! I was hoping to depress the diamond market once I got old enough.

 

[Howard]

Originally posted by: f95toli
If it means the ends for the "Blood diamonds" it also means the end for a civil war or two. It is not often you see CVD beeing used to create peace in the world...

I'll bet weapons that involve partial CVD production end up helping to create peace.

 

[Cogman]

it will be nice, the should make diamond heat sinks, diamond currently is the best heat conductor known to man. I could run my 1.4 Tbird passivly.

 

[CTho9305]

Originally posted by: Cogman
it will be nice, the should make diamond heat sinks, diamond currently is the best heat conductor known to man. I could run my 1.4 Tbird passivly.

It would still have to be a huge heatsink.

 

[User1001]

Originally posted by: CTho9305

Originally posted by: Cogman
it will be nice, the should make diamond heat sinks, diamond currently is the best heat conductor known to man. I could run my 1.4 Tbird passivly.

It would still have to be a huge heatsink.

compressed diamonds?

 

[AEB]

people already do this with many stones like tanzinite. however reputable jewleers like ben bridge or na hoku use only mined stones. even tho they may be the "same" it is my opinion that people will always value the natural stone more than synthetic.

 

[Mday]

i like synthdiamonds. makes tools much cheaper =)

 

[Mday]

<stupid trackball>

 

[fell8]

Originally posted by: AEB
people already do this with many stones like tanzinite. however reputable jewleers like ben bridge or na hoku use only mined stones. even tho they may be the "same" it is my opinion that people will always value the natural stone more than synthetic.

Well, sure, that's to be expected. But if it becomes impossible to tell them apart...

Originally posted by: Mday
<stupid trackball>

lol, "It's a poor craftsman who blames his tools."

 

[CTho9305]

Originally posted by: fell8

Originally posted by: AEB
people already do this with many stones like tanzinite. however reputable jewleers like ben bridge or na hoku use only mined stones. even tho they may be the "same" it is my opinion that people will always value the natural stone more than synthetic.

Well, sure, that's to be expected. But if it becoimpossible to tell them apart...

When you buy a flower, do you care if it was grown in a rainforest or some hydroponics building in the middle of a desert?