Technology

For precision in extreme environments

From nano-diamond additives to radiation-resistant electronics, we engineer solutions capable of withstanding and operating in extreme conditions

The Superior Electrical Properties of Diamond

Diamond stands as nature's most extraordinary electronic material, offering a combination of properties unmatched by any conventional semiconductor

While silicon has dominated the electronics industry for decades, diamond's exceptional characteristics represent a quantum leap in performance potential.

Diamond's remarkable thermal stability, incredible mechanical hardness, and outstanding electrical properties make it the ultimate material for next-generation electronics, particularly in the most demanding applications where ordinary semiconductors simply cannot perform.

The following table shows the advantages of diamond as a ratio relative to silicon.

Property
Diamond
Si
GaN
SiC
Electron mobility
1.6
1
0.9
0.6
Hole mobility
2.7
1
0.4
0.3
Saturated carrier velocity
2.7
1
2.5
2
Dielectric Strength
33
1
10
10
All values shown relative to silicon (Si = 1)

These exceptional properties make diamond an ideal material for high-performance electronic applications, particularly in extreme environments where conventional semiconductors would fail. With thermal conductivity 13.8 times greater than silicon, dielectric strength 30 times higher, and superior carrier mobility, diamond enables electronic devices that can operate reliably in conditions of extreme temperature, radiation, and mechanical stress—conditions that would render traditional silicon-based electronics inoperable.

Mechanical and Thermal Advantages of Diamond

Diamond semiconductors represent a revolution in electronic materials, delivering performance that decisively outclasses silicon, silicon carbide, and gallium nitride.

With thermal conductivity 14.7× greater than silicon (2200 vs. 150 W/m·K), diamond efficiently manages heat under extreme power loads, enabling more compact device designs. Its dielectric strength exceeds silicon by 30×, allowing diamond-based devices to withstand voltages that would destroy conventional semiconductors.

The following table shows the advantages of diamond as a ratio relative to silicon.

Property
Diamond
Si
GaN
SiC
Thermal Conductivity
14.86
1
1.55
3.31
Young's Modulus
6.97
1
1.97
2.48
Modulus of Rupture
12
1
1.2
2.4
Tensile Strength
16.47
1
1.76
2.35
Density
1.51
1
2.64
1.38
All values shown relative to silicon (Si = 1)

Diamond's atomic structure provides exceptional stability at temperatures exceeding 1500°C—nearly 10× silicon's operational limit—while maintaining radiation resistance critical for space and nuclear applications. These properties combine with superior electron and hole mobilities to enable ultrafast switching and power handling impossible with silicon-based systems.

For practical applications, diamond's 5× higher thermal conductivity than copper eliminates bulky cooling systems, potentially reducing data center energy consumption by up to 30% while providing unmatched performance in extreme environments.

Chemical Vapor Deposition

One of the FemtoSci CVD diamond deposition reactors.

For producing FemtoSci's diamond technologies, we operate CVD (chemical vapor deposition) reactors for producing polycrystalline diamond layers of resistivities from megohms to ohms, intrinsic or doped, and single crystal diamond.

Our nanoDiamond deposition systems operate in both Massachusetts and Tennessee. These CVD deposition systems are capable of fabricating polycrystalline or larger area single crystal diamond layers or films.

Diamond's Mechanical and Thermal Properties Exceed Other Materials

Diamond is truly a unique material. With unmatched hardness, radiation immunity, and wide bandgap, it enables technologies impossible with conventional materials.

While our specialized CVD systems are essential, FemtoSci's true advantage comes from decades of experience with patented technologies that give us precise control over diamond grain size and purity – creating high-performance materials at a competitive cost.

This combination of knowledge and capability allows us to solve problems in extreme environments where other approaches cannot.

Large-Area Process for Single-Crystal Diamond Growth

FemtoSci’s process can produce single-crystal diamond wafers of superior surface smoothness as well as reduced defect density; this enables an epitaxial interface with subsequent layers, such as a doped layer.

This facilitates the production of extreme operational envelope electronics, for example, high power and frequency, unachievable by any present material and technology.

This outcome is certain and readily demonstrable from basic semiconductor physics relative to diamond’s wide band gap, highest thermal conductivity and other known “second to none” properties of diamond. This innovation is codified in a patent application which has now been published (patent US20220119983A).