Optical applications of CVD diamond
Speaker: Dr Ian Friel, Element Six
Date: 24 August 2011
Time: 14:00-15:00
Venue: Building 46, Lecture theatre B (room 2003)
Abstract:
Diamond is a remarkable substance possessing a breadth of extreme physical and chemical properties unmatched by any other material. It has the highest thermal conductivity and highest stiffness, possesses extreme hardness and wear resistance and is optically transparent almost continually from the UV to the THz. Diamond is also chemically inert, radiation hard and possesses excellent electrochemical properties. Technological applications previously based on naturally occurring diamond were limited due to the inherently inconsistent properties and sizes available. The development of chemical vapour deposition (CVD) as a method of synthesis has now allowed diamond's extreme properties to be harnessed in a host of applications.
The history of synthetic diamond development and some of the more common industrial applications will be briefly reviewed, followed by an outline of the physics and chemistry of CVD diamond synthesis. The properties of CVD diamond will be covered, with an emphasis on the ways in which these properties can be engineered for specific applications through a careful control of the point and extended defect content. Finally, an overview of recent, exciting developments in diamond Raman lasers, disk lasers and diamond-based quantum optics will be given.
Biography:
Dr Ian Friel is a Senior Research Scientist at Element Six, specialising in the synthesis of diamond by chemical vapour deposition (CVD). He has worked for Element Six since 2005. During this time Ian has been involved in a number of R&D projects, including the development of optical quality single crystal synthetic diamond for novel laser applications, single crystal diamond electronic device structures and high crystalline quality synthetic diamond for x-ray optics. Currently, Ian is responsible for a programme of research into fundamental defect properties of CVD diamond. Prior to joining Element Six, Ian's doctoral research involved the growth and characterisation of III-nitride wide band gap semiconductors for novel optoelectronic devices. Ian has a number of filed and granted patents and has 27