Formation of diamond materials by rapid-heating and rapid-quenching of carbon-containing materials

Abstract

Diamond materials are formed by sandwiching a carbon-containing material in a gap between two electrodes. A high-amperage electric current is applied between the two electrode plates so as cause rapid-heating of the carbon-containing material. The current is sufficient to cause heating of the carbon-containing material at a rate of at least approximately 5,000.degree. C./sec, and need only be applied for a fraction of a second to elevate the temperature of the carbon-containing material at least approximately 1000.degree. C. Upon terminating the current, the carbon-containing material is subjected to rapid-quenching (cooling). This may take the form of placing one or more of the electrodes in contact with a heat sink, such as a large steel table. The carbon-containing material may be rapidly-heated and rapidly-quenched (RHRQ) repeatedly (e.g., in cycles), until a diamond material is fabricated from the carbon-containing material. The process is advantageously performed in an environment of a "shielding" (inert or non-oxidizing) gas, such as Argon (At), Helium (He), or Nitrogen (N.sub.2). In an embodiment of the invention, the carbon-containing material is polystyrene (e.g., a film) or glassy carbon (e.g., film or powder). In another embodiment of the invention, the carbon-containing material is a polymer, fullerene, amorphous carbon, graphite, or the like. In another embodiment of the invention, one of the electrodes is substrate upon which it is desired to form a diamond coating, and the substrate itself is used as one of the two electrodes. This would be useful for forming a thin-film diamond coating on a cutting tool insert.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.