Revolutionary Method for Producing Flexible Diamond Membranes
Revolutionary Method for Producing Flexible Diamond Membranes
A research team has developed a groundbreaking method for the mass production of ultrathin and ultra-flexible diamond membranes, a significant step forward in semiconductor and device manufacturing. Led by Professor Zhiqin Chu from the University of Hong Kong (HKU), the team’s results are published in Nature. The research was conducted in collaboration with Professor Yuan Lin from the Department of Mechanical Engineering at HKU.
These new diamond membranes, which are both ultrathin and highly flexible, are compatible with existing semiconductor technologies, enabling their integration into a variety of devices, including electronic, photonic, mechanical, acoustic, and quantum technologies.
The innovative exfoliation method developed by the team, known as edge-exposed exfoliation, allows for the rapid production of scalable, free-standing diamond membranes. This method offers significant advantages over traditional techniques, which are typically slow, expensive, and limited in size. Remarkably, the new approach can produce a two-inch wafer in just 10 seconds, making it highly efficient and scalable.
The ultra-flat and flexible nature of the diamond surfaces is crucial for precision micromanufacturing, and the new process opens up exciting possibilities for next-generation flexible and wearable electronics and photonic devices. The team foresees a wide range of industrial applications, spanning electronics, photonics, mechanics, thermics, acoustics, and quantum technologies.
Professor Chu emphasized the potential of the new diamond membranes, stating, “We hope to promote the usage of this high-performance diamond membrane across various fields, commercializing this cutting-edge technology to set a new standard in the semiconductor industry. We look forward to collaborating with academic and industry partners to bring this revolutionary product to market.”
Diamonds, known for their extraordinary hardness, thermal conductivity, and electrical properties, are ideal for creating advanced devices, such as high-power, high-frequency electronics, photonics, and heat spreaders used to cool high-power electronic components like processors and semiconductor lasers. However, their rigid crystal structure and inert nature have made mass production of ultrathin, freestanding diamond membranes challenging, limiting their broader use—until now.