A new breakthrough in diamond production has been achieved, with researchers at Saga University and Adamant Namiki Precision Jewel Company developing a method to create large, high-purity diamonds that can be used as storage media for quantum computers. Quantum computers have immense computing power, but require significant storage space to be productive. Scientists have been searching for suitable materials to secure the vast amounts of data generated by quantum computers, and this new development could be the solution they have been seeking.
Adamant Namiki Precision Jewel Company is known for producing precision tools based on diamonds and other gemstones. However, in collaboration with Saga University, the company has now produced a high-purity diamond of record size. To be used as a storage medium for quantum computers, diamonds must be highly pure and have a nitrogen concentration of no more than three parts per billion (ppb), or three nitrogen atoms per billion carbon atoms. Until now, diamond wafers with this level of purity could only be produced in sizes of up to four millimeters, which was too small for practical use.
The researchers have developed a new manufacturing process that uses a sapphire substrate with a graded structure to create diamond wafers. The structure’s inclination allows the diamond crystals to spread out as they grow, resulting in fewer cracks and tensions and higher quality. Additionally, the developers reduced the use of nitrogen gas to increase the diamond’s purity. In conventional methods, nitrogen gas is used to increase the growth rate of crystals. The scientists estimate that the diamond can store about 25 exabytes, equivalent to one billion Blu-ray discs. Adamant Namiki Precision Jewel Company aims to commercialize this innovative manufacturing technology by 2023.
This breakthrough in diamond production could revolutionize the use of quantum computers, providing a reliable and efficient storage medium for the vast amounts of data generated by these powerful machines. The new manufacturing process could also have implications for other industries that require high-purity diamonds, such as the semiconductor industry. With the potential for significant commercial applications, this development is an exciting step forward in the field of diamond production and quantum computing.
