Dependence of Limited Growth Rate of High-Quality Gem Diamond on Growth Conditions

The growth rate of diamond has been investigated for a long time and researchers have been attempting to enhance the growth rate of high-quality gem diamond infinitely. However, it has been found according to previous research results that the quality of diamond is debased with the increase of growth rate. Thus, under specific conditions, the growth rate of high-quality diamond cannot exceed a limited value that is called the limited growth rate of diamond. We synthesize a series of type Ib gem diamonds by temperature gradient method under high pressure and high temperature （HPHT） using the as-grown {100} face. The dependence of limited growth rate on growth conditions is studied. The results show that the limited growth rate increases when synthetic temperature decreases, also when growth time is prolonged.     

Growth of gem-grade nitrogen-doped diamond crystals heavily doped with the addition of Ba（N3）2

Additive Ba(N 3) 2 as a source of nitrogen is heavily doped into the graphite-Fe-based alloy system to grow nitrogendoped diamond crystals under a relatively high pressure (about 6.0 GPa) by employing the temperature gradient method.Gem-grade diamond crystal with a size of around 5 mm and a nitrogen concentration of about 1173 ppm is successfully synthesised for the first time under high pressure and high temperature in a China-type cubic anvil highpressure apparatus.The growth habit of diamond crystal under the environment with high degree of nitrogen doping is investigated.It is found that the morphologies of heavily nitrogen-doped diamond crystals are all of octahedral shape dominated by {111} facets.The effects of temperature and duration on nitrogen concentration and form are explored by infrared absorption spectra.The results indicate that nitrogen impurity is present in diamond predominantly in the dispersed form accompanied by aggregated form,and the aggregated nitrogen concentration in diamond increases with temperature and duration.In addition,it is indicated that nitrogen donors are more easily incorporated into growing crystals at higher temperature.Strains in nitrogen-doped diamond crystal are characterized by micro-Raman spectroscopy.Measurement results demonstrate that the undoped diamond crystals exhibit the compressive stress,whereas diamond crystals heavily doped with the addition of Ba(N 3) 2 display the tensile stress.     

Effects of Al and Ti/Cu on Synthesis of Type-IIa Diamond Crystals in Ni70Mn25Co5-C System at HPHT

High-quality type-Ⅱa gem diamond crystals are successfully synthesized in a NiToMn25Co5-C system by temperature gradient method （TGM） at about 5.5 GPa and 1560 K. Al and Ti/Cu are used as nitrogen getters respectively. While nitrogen getter Al or Ti/Cu is added into the synthesis system, some inclusions and caves tend to be introduced into the crystals. When Al is added into the solvent alloy, we would hardly gain high-quality type-Ⅱa diamond crystals with nitrogen concentration Nc 〈 1 ppm because of the reversible reaction of Al and N at high pressure and high temperature （HPHT）. Piowever, when Ti/Cu is added into the solvent alloy, high-quality type-Ⅱa diamond crystals with Nc 〈 1 ppm can be grown by decreasing the growth rate of diamonds.     

温度对Ib型和IIa型金刚石大单晶(100)表面特征的影响

本文在5.6 GPa, 1250–1340 ℃的条件下, 利用温度梯度法, 以FeNiMnCo 合金为触媒, 沿籽晶的(100)晶面成功合成了不同晶形的优质Ib型和IIa型金刚石大单晶. 利用激光拉曼附件显微镜, 分别对上述不同温度下合成的两类金刚石样品上表面(100)面的中心区域及棱角区域进行观察分析. 研究发现, Ib型和IIa型金刚石大单晶(100)晶面上从中心到棱角处黑色纹路的分布逐渐变黑变密集; 另外, 随着金刚石合成温度的升高, Ib型金刚石大单晶(100)面上黑色纹路由稀疏逐渐变稠密, 而IIa型金刚石大单晶的黑色纹路较为稀疏; Ib型金刚石大单晶的形貌特征表现为从低温晶体的不规则分布过渡到中温、高温晶体的典型树枝状分布. IIa型金刚石大单晶(100)面特征随温度变化规律与Ib型的类似. 这两类金刚石大单晶表面特征的差异可能是由于IIa 型金刚石具有比Ib型更小的生长速度和更少的氮含量. 最后, 对两类塔状金刚石大单晶进行拉曼光谱测试分析, 结果表明IIa型金刚石大单晶的品质较Ib型金刚石大单晶好.     

Effects of additive NaN_3 on the HPHT synthesis of large single crystal diamond grown by TGM

In this paper,large single crystal diamond with perfect shape and high nitrogen concentration approximately 1671-1742 ppm was successfully synthesized by temperature gradient method (TGM) under high pressure and high temperature (HPHT).The HPHT synthesis conditions were about 5.5 GPa and 1500-1550 K.Sodium azide (NaN3) with different amount was added as the source of nitrogen into the synthesis system of high pure graphite and kovar alloy.The effects of additive NaN3 on crystal growth habit were investigated in detail.The crystal morphology,nitrogen concentration and existing form in synthetic diamond were characterized by means of scanning electron microscope (SEM) and infrared (IR) absorption spectra,respectively.The results show that with an increase of the content of NaN3 added in the synthesis system,the region of synthesis temperature for high-quality diamond becomes narrow,and crystal growth rate is restricted,whereas the nitrogen concentration in synthetic diamond increases.Nitrogen exists in diamond mainly in dispersed form (C-centers) and partially aggregated form (A-centers).The defects occur more frequently on crystal surface when excessive NaN3 is added in the synthesis system.     

合成腔体尺寸对Ib型六面体金刚石单晶生长的影响

利用液压缸直径为550 mm的大缸径六面顶压机, 在5.6 GPa, 1200-1400 ℃的高压高温条件下, 分别采用单晶种法和多晶种法, 开展了Ib型六面体宝石级金刚石单晶的生长研究, 系统考察了合成腔体尺寸对Ib型六面体金刚石大单晶生长的影响. 首先, 阐述了合成腔体尺寸对合成设备油压传递效率的影响, 研究得到了设备油压与腔体内实际压力的关系曲线; 其次, 选择尺寸为Φ 14 mm的合成腔体, 分别采用单晶种法和多晶种法(5颗晶种), 进行Ib型六面体金刚石大单晶的生长实验, 研究阐述了Φ 14 mm合成腔体的晶体生长实验规律; 再次, 为了解决液压缸直径与合成腔体尺寸不匹配的问题, 将合成腔体尺寸扩大到26 mm, 并开展了多晶种法六面体金刚石大单晶的生长研究, 最多单次生长出14 颗优质3 mm级Ib型六面体金刚石单晶, 研究得到了Φ 26 mm合成腔体生长3 mm级Ib型六面体金刚石单晶的实验规律, 并就两种腔体合成金刚石单晶的总体生长速度与生长时间的关系进行了讨论; 最后, 借助于拉曼光谱, 将合成的优质六面体金刚石单晶与天然金刚石单晶进行对比测试, 对所合成晶体的结构及品质进行了表征.     

Ib型金刚石大单晶的限形生长

金刚石的限形生长有利于其后续加工.对于磨料级金刚石限形生长的研究已经比较透彻,但金刚石大单晶的限形生长尚缺乏全面系统的研究.本文以Fe Ni(64wt%:36wt%)合金为触媒,利用高温高压下的温度梯度法在5.6 GPa时对不同温度下分别沿(100)面和(111)面生长的Ib型金刚石大单晶的晶形进行了研究.研究表明:随着温度的升高,沿(100)晶面生长的金刚石大单晶的晶形分别为板状、塔状直至尖塔状,而沿(111)面生长的金刚石大单晶的晶形则分别为塔状和板状;分析了不同温度下分别沿(100)面和(111)面生长金刚石大单晶不同晶形高径比的变化情况.利用不同压力和温度下的金刚石大单晶合成实验绘制了沿(100)和(111)面生长金刚石大单晶的晶形在V形生长区域内的分布示意图,表明沿(111)面生长的金刚石大单晶V形区温度下限明显比以(100)面生长的高,而沿这两面生长金刚石大单晶的V形区温度上限差别并不明显.对不同生长面V形区温度上下限的差别进行了解释,据此实现了Ib型金刚石大单晶的限形生长.     

籽晶尺寸对宝石级金刚石单晶生长的影响

本文在国产六面顶压机上,在5.6 GPa, 1250—1450℃的高压高温条件下,分别选用边长0.8, 1.5和2.2 mm三种尺寸的籽晶,系统开展了Ib型宝石级金刚石单晶的生长研究.文中系统考察了籽晶尺寸对宝石级金刚石单晶生长的影响.首先,考察了籽晶尺寸变化对宝石级金刚石单晶裂晶问题带来的影响.研究得到了籽晶尺寸变大,裂晶出现概率增加的晶体生长规律.其次,在25 h的生长时间内,考察了上述三种尺寸籽晶生长金刚石单晶时,生长时间与单晶极限生长速度的关系.得到了选用大尺寸籽晶,可以提高优质单晶合成效率、降低合成成本的研究结论.借助扫描电子显微镜和光学显微镜,对三种尺寸籽晶生长金刚石单晶的表面形貌进行了标定.最后,傅里叶微区红外测试,对三种尺寸籽晶生长宝石级金刚石单晶的N杂质含量进行了表征.研究得到了选用大尺寸籽晶实现快速生长金刚石的同时,晶体的N杂质含量会随之升高的晶体生长规律.     

Studying the effect of hydrogen on diamond growth by adding C10H10Fe under high pressures and high temperatures

In this paper, hydrogen-doped industrial diamonds and gem diamonds were synthesized in the Fe–Ni–C system with C₁₀H₁₀Fe additive, high pressures and high temperatures range of 5.2–6.2?GPa and 1250–1460°C. Experimental results indicate similar effect of hydrogen on these two types of diamonds: with the increasing content of C₁₀H₁₀Fe added in diamond growth environment, temperature is a crucial factor that sensitively affects the hydrogen-doped diamond crystallization. The temperature region for high-quality diamond growth becomes higher and the morphology of diamond crystal changes from cube-octahedral to octahedral. The defects on the {100} surfaces of diamond are more than those on the {111} surfaces. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) results indicate that the hydrogen atoms enter into the diamond crystal lattice from {100} faces more easily. Most interestingly, under low temperature, nitrogen atoms can also easily enter into the diamond crystal lattice from {100} faces cooperated with hydrogen atoms.     

B2O3添加宝石级金刚石单晶的生长特性

利用温度梯度法, 在5.3-5.7 GPa压力、1200-1600 ℃的温度条件下, 将B₂O₃粉添加到FeNiMnCo+C合成体系内, 进行B₂O₃添加宝石级金刚石单晶的合成. 研究得到了FeNiMnCo触媒生长B₂O₃添加宝石级金刚石单晶的相图分布规律. 结果表明B₂O₃添加会使晶体生长的“V”形区上移和低温六面体单晶生长区间变宽. 通过晶体生长实验, 研究合成了不同形貌的B₂O₃添加宝石级金刚石单晶. 研究同时证实, B₂O₃的过量添加会对宝石级金刚石单晶生长带来不利影响. 当B₂O₃的添加量高于约3 wt‰、生长时间超过20 h时, 很难实现优质B₂O₃添加宝石级金刚石单晶的生长. 但B₂O₃的适量添加(不超过1 wt‰), 有助于提高低温板状六面体宝石级金刚石单晶的成品率. 通过对晶体生长速度的研究发现, B₂O₃的添加使得优质晶体的生长速度明显降低, 随着晶体生长时间的延长, B₂O₃添加剂对晶体生长的抑制作用会越发明显. 扫描电镜测试结果表明, 合成体系内B₂O₃添加剂的引入, 导致晶体表面的平整度明显下降.     

降温工艺对宝石级金刚石单晶品质的影响

在国产六面顶压机上,采用温度梯度法,在5.6 GPa,1200—1400?C的高压高温条件下,裂晶问题频繁出现的合成周期内,围绕裂晶现象开展了Ib型宝石级金刚石单晶的生长研究,系统考察了降温工艺对宝石级金刚石单晶品质的影响.针对宝石级金刚石单晶常见的裂纹缺陷,借助于扫描电子显微镜,分别对优质金刚石单晶和存在裂纹金刚石单晶的表面形貌进行了表征;利用微区傅里叶转换红外光谱测试手段,对上述两类晶体的N杂质含量分别进行了测试,依据测试结果,对裂晶出现的原因进行了分析;分别采用传统断电降温和缓慢降温工艺,考察了晶体生长结束后的降温工艺对宝石级金刚石单晶品质的影响.结果表明,缓慢降温工艺在很大程度上可以有效抑制裂晶问题出现.另外,从宝石级金刚石单晶品质和单晶受到的外应力两个方面着手,分别对裂晶出现的机理和采用缓慢降温工艺有效解决裂晶问题的机理进行了讨论.     

国产六面顶压机多晶种法合成宝石级金刚石单晶

对国产六面顶压机平台下使用多晶种法合成宝石级金刚石单晶进行了系统的研究. 通过合理调整温度梯度法的合成腔体组装, 采用多晶种法, 探索多晶种法金刚石合成的压力和温度区间, 在单个合成腔体内放置3–5颗金刚石晶种, 成功合成出多颗(3–5)优质Ib型宝石级金刚石单晶. 多颗晶种的引入, 单次实验合成的多个金刚石晶体晶形及品质一致; 同时, 晶体的整体生长速度也有明显的增大. 多晶种法金刚石单晶合成的研究, 可以有效地利用腔体空间、提高单次金刚石单晶合成的效率, 解决压机大型化下高温高压资源利用率低的问题; 同时, 为宝石级金刚石单晶商业化生产提供重要的依据. 关键词： 金刚石 国产六面顶 多晶种 温度梯度法     

高温高压下掺硼宝石级金刚石单晶生长特性的研究

本文在5.1—5.6 GPa,1230—1600℃的压力、温度条件下,以FeNiMnCo作为触媒,进行单质硼添加宝石级金刚石单晶的生长研究.借助于有限元法,对触媒内的温度场进行模拟.研究得到了FeNiMnCo-C-B体系下,金刚石单晶生长的P-T相图.该体系下合成金刚石单晶的最低压力、温度条件分别为5.1 GPa,1230℃左右.研究发现,在单晶同一{111}扇区内部,硼元素呈内多外少的分布规律.有限元模拟结果给出,该分布规律是由在晶体生长过程中,{111}扇区的增长速度逐渐减小所致.{111}晶向的晶体生长实验结果表明,硼元素优先从{111}次扇区进入晶体.研究发现,这是该扇区增长速度相对较快,硼元素扩散逃离可用时间短导致的.另外,同磨料级掺硼金刚石单晶生长相比,对于温度梯度法生长掺硼宝石级金刚石单晶,由于晶体的增厚速度较慢,即使硼添加量相对较高,也可以实现表面无凹坑缺陷的优质金刚石单晶的生长.     

Inclusions in large diamond single crystals at different temperatures of synthesis

The inclusions in large diamond single crystals have effects on its ultimate performance, which restricts its industrial applications to a great extent. Therefore, it is necessary to study the inclusions systematically. In this paper, large diamond single crystals with different content values of inclusions are synthesized along the(100) surface by the temperature gradient method(TGM) under 5.6 GPa at different temperatures. With the synthetic temperature changing from 1200?C to 1270?C,the shapes of diamonds change from plate to low tower, to high tower, even to steeple. From the microscopic photographs of the diamond samples, it can be observed that with the shapes of the samples changing at different temperatures, the content values of inclusions in diamonds become zero, a little, much and most, correspondingly. Consequently, with the temperature growing from low to high, the content values of inclusions in crystals increase. The origin of inclusions is explained by the difference in growth rate between diamond crystal and its surface. The content values of inclusions in diamond samples are quantitatively calculated by testing the densities of diamond samples. And the composition and inclusion content are analyzed by energy dispersive spectroscopy(EDS) and x-ray diffraction(XRD). From contrasting scanning electron microscopy(SEM) photographs, it can be found that the more the inclusions in diamond, the more imperfect the diamond surface is.     

高压熔渗生长法制备金刚石聚晶中碳的转化机制研究

在6 GPa和1500 ℃的压力和温度范围内, 利用高压熔渗生长法制备了纯金刚石聚晶, 深入研究了高温高压下金刚石聚晶生长过程中碳的转化机制. 利用光学显微镜、X-射线衍射、场发射扫描电子显微镜检测, 发现在熔渗过程中金刚石层出现了石墨化现象, 在烧结过程中金刚石颗粒表面形貌发生了变化. 根据实验现象分析, 在制备过程中存在三种碳的转化机制: 1)金属熔渗阶段金刚石颗粒表面石墨化产生石墨; 2)产生的石墨在烧结阶段很快转变为填充空隙的金刚石碳; 3)金刚石直接溶解在金属溶液中, 以金刚石形式在颗粒间析出, 填充空隙. 本文研究碳的转化机制为在高温高压金属溶剂法合成金刚石的条件下(6 GPa和1500 ℃的压力和温度范围内)工业批量化制备无添加剂、无空隙的纯金刚石聚晶提供了重要的理论指导.     

Effect of Carbon Source with Different Graphitization Degrees on the Synthesis of Diamond

Using three kinds of graphites with different graphitization degrees as carbon source and Fe-Ni alloy powder as catalyst, the synthesis of diamond crystals is performed in a cubic anvil high-pressure and high-temperature apparatus （SPD-6 × 1200）. Diamond crystals with perfect hexoctahedron shape are successfully synthesized at pressure from 5.0 to 5.5GPa and at temperature from 1570 to 1770K. The synthetic conditions, nucleation, morphology, inclusion and granularity of diamond crystals are studied. The temperature and pressure increase with the increase of the graphitization degree of graphite. The quantity of nucleation and granularity ofdiamonds decreases with the increase of graphitization degree of graphite under the same synthesis conditions. Moreover, according to the results of the M6ssbauer spectrum, the composition of inclusions is mainly Fe3 C and Fe-Ni alloy phases in diamond crystals synthesized with three kinds of graphites.     

锌添加对大尺寸金刚石生长的影响

利用温度梯度法,在6.2—6.4 GPa,1270—1400℃条件下,通过在NiMnCo-C体系中添加不同比例的锌粉成功合成出3 mm左右的大尺寸金刚石单晶.研究了锌添加对金刚石颜色、形貌、内部氮杂质以及晶体结晶度的影响.结果表明:随着锌添加量逐渐增加,晶体的颜色逐渐变浅,晶体的透光性增强;当锌添加比例达到3 wt.%时,晶体表面出现大量不规则的凹坑;晶体内氮杂质主要以C心形式存在,随着锌添加量的增多晶体内氮含量逐渐降低,基于锌的除氮能力总结出两种可能的除氮机制;拉曼光谱测试结果表明,在锌添加量小于3.0 wt.%的研究范围内,锌的添加有利于提高晶体的结晶度.本研究不仅有助于天然金刚石形成机制的探究,而且对丰富金刚石的种类以及扩展人工合成金刚石的应用领域都有着重要意义.     

Effect of the codoping of N—H—O on the growth characteristics and defects of diamonds under high temperature and high pressure

Diamond crystals were synthesized with different doping proportions of N—H—O at 5.5 GPa—7.1 GPa and 1370 °C—1450 °C. With the increase in the N—H—O doping ratio, the crystal growth rate decreased, the temperature and pressure conditions required for diamond nucleation became increasingly stringent, and the diamond crystallization process was affected. [111] became the dominant plane of diamonds; surface morphology became block-like; and growth texture, stacking faults, and etch pits increased. The diamond crystals had a two-dimensional growth habit. Increasing the doping concentration also increased the amount of N that entered the diamond crystals as confirmed via Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. However, crystal quality gradually deteriorated as verified by the red-shifting of Raman peak positions and the widening of the Raman full width at half maximum. With the increase in the doping ratio, the photoluminescence property of the diamond crystals also drastically changed. The intensity of the N vacancy center of the diamond crystals changed, and several Ni-related defect centers, such as the NE1 and NE3 centers, appeared. Diamond synthesis in N—H—O-bearing fluid provides important information for deepening our understanding of the growth characteristics of diamonds in complex systems and the formation mechanism of natural diamonds, which are almost always N-rich and full of various defect centers. Meanwhile, this study proved that the type of defect centers in diamond crystals could be regulated by controlling the N—H—O impurity contents of the synthesis system.     

Effects of carbon convection field on large diamond growth under high-pressure high-temperature conditions

Large diamond crystals were successfully synthesized by FeNi-C system using temperature gradient method under high-pressure high-temperature conditions. The assembly of the growth cell was improved and the growth process of diamond was investigated. Effects of the symmetry of carbon convection field around the growing diamond crystal were investigated systematically by adjusting the position of seed crystal in the melted catalyst/solvent. The results indicate that morphologies and metal inclusion distributions of the synthetic diamond crystals vary obviously in both symmetric and non-symmetric carbon convection fields with temperature. Moreover, finite element method was applied to analyze carbon convection mode of the melted catalyst/solvent around the diamond crystal. This work is helpful for understanding the growth mechanism of diamond.     

FEM simulations and experimental studies of the temperature field in a large diamond crystal growth cell

We investigate the temperature field variation in the growth region of a diamond crystal in a sealed cell during the whole process of crystal growth by using the temperature gradient method (TGM) at high pressure and high temperature (HPHT). We employ both the finite element method (FEM) and in situ experiments. Simulation results show that the temperature in the center area of the growth cell continues to decrease during the process of large diamond crystal growth. These results are in good agreement with our experimental data, which demonstrates that the finite element model can successfully predict the temperature field variations in the growth cell. The FEM simulation will be useful to grow larger high-quality diamond crystal by using the TGM. Furthermore, this method will be helpful in designing better cells and improving the growth process of gem-quality diamond crystal.