Singapore-based IIa Technologies, a global leader in diamond growing technologies, recently hosted a roundtable meeting, 'The Future of Grown Diamonds' on grown diamonds technologies and their potential across hi-technology industries. The closed-door meeting was attended by 14 eminent scientists and professors working and researching on diamond technologies-based applications. IIa Technologies was represented by its Chief Technology Officer, Dr Devi Shanker Misra.

The gathered intelligentsia from top universities across US, Belgium, Russia and Taiwan agreed that the grown diamond industry is poised for greater success.

Among the topics discussed, the group deliberated on the present practice of using the terminology 'synthetic' to describe grown diamonds. "It was generally agreed that the term 'synthetic' is technically and scientifically incorrect. During our discussion, with regards to the definition of the Chemical Vapour Deposition (CVD) process and diamonds grown using the process, the overall consensus was that a more accurate descriptor would be "grown diamonds" as the physical and chemical properties of a grown and mined diamond are congruent," said Dr Misra, CTO of IIa Technologies.

It was also felt that there was a need to improve the quality and size of grown diamonds so as to extend their usage across a range of scientific applications. Held during the 2014 Materials Research Society's (MRS) Fall Meeting and Exhibit in Boston, Massachusetts, the roundtable meeting was centred on the latest scientific developments, milestones and challenges of the grown diamond world.

One such important milestone was achieved by IIa Technologies in Sept 2014, when it announced the creation of large size (7.5 mm x 7.5 mm) high quality, single crystal diamond plates of unsurpassed quality after 8 years of extensive research. The breakthrough opened up unprecedented opportunities for use in highly versatile applications such as radiation dosimeter used in cancer therapy, X-Ray detectors, X-Ray dosimeters, high power electronic devices and various other sophisticated technological devices.

Dr Misra said, "We have a research-led approach at IIa Technologies and are currently working to develop larger diamond plates, 15mm x 15mm, twice the current dimensions, for single crystal diamonds. Our goal is to not only raise the quality of the plates but also keep it cost-effective." Larger diamond plates will enable making integrated electronic high power and high frequency circuits on diamonds, leading to potential breakthroughs in using diamonds for electronics.

Following the success of this first roundtable meeting, IIa Technologies plans to host several such discussion forums in the near future with reputed scientists and professors who are interested in the grown diamond field.