There is a kind of diamond that costs only one-third of natural diamonds. It is not dug out of the ground, but "planted" in the laboratory, also known as cultivating diamonds. On December 22, in the laboratory of Huayu Microwave, No. 68, Section 2, Airport First Road, Shuangliu District, Chengdu, a square sheet with a thickness of about 0.3 mm ushered in a gorgeous transformation after 15 days, becoming a 1-carat artificial diamond. How to transform the small square slices, and what kind of black technology is in it... Today, let's go into this company to find out.
Cultivate diamonds to shine in the light of science and technology
Workers focus on welding accessories. Chengdu Huayu Microwave Photo
The staff carefully put several cleaned square sheets (crystal seeds) about 0.3 mm thick and evenly on the molybdenum tray of the equipment sample table. After the equipment is started, an appropriate amount of process gas is charged into the vacuum cavity where the crystal seed is located. Under the action of microwave plasma, methane will be ionised and decomposed into carbon atoms and hydrogen atoms. Carbon atoms will slowly deposit on the crystal seeds and grow up layer by layer. Liu Yin, general manager of Chengdu Huayu Microwave Technology Co., Ltd., said that under the "careful care" of the staff, crystals with a length and width of 7 mm grew into diamond blanks of about 4 carats after 15 days. After the staff's laser cutting, polishing and other processes, a high-quality laboratory-cultivated diamond weighing 1 carat grew out.
During the "growth" of the crystal seed, the staff will observe the growth through the window of the vacuum cavity and monitor the technical parameters of the production equipment at any time. If there is a defect on the surface of the crystal, we will stop and take out the crystal for processing, and then put it in the machine for growth. Liu Yin said that the size of the crystal species is different, the deposition time is different, and the size of the rough diamonds produced is also different.
The cultivation process of diamonds is a sophisticated and fascinating scientific and technological progress. Put the diamond seeds into the culture tank and let the seeds gradually grow into a crystal clear diamond through microwave soma chemical vapour deposition. This process may take several weeks. The diamonds finally cultivated have the same physical and chemical properties as the diamonds formed underground, including hardness, refractive index, optical characteristics, etc.
Innovation leads to crack the inside of the industry
The craftsman is ready to produce diamond blanks. Chengdu Huayu Microwave Photo
In Liu Yin's view, the current internal winding problem in the super-hard material industry is actually a problem of insufficient innovation.
The most critical way to crack the inner volume is still led by innovation. If everyone enlarges the cake of the whole industry, the market demand for super-hard materials will also expand, which can easily alleviate the problem of internal roll. But if the industry cake itself is small and the production capacity is large, it will eventually lead to overcapacity and trigger a price war. Liu Yin said.
In the future, Chengdu Huayu Microwave will focus on the overall innovative layout of the industrial chain and think carefully on the strong chain layout at the front, middle and back ends of the industrial chain.
Source: Chinanews.com, Sichuan