Present status and future prospects of diamond for semiconductor substrates

Element Six Talk at the 121st session of Japan Society of Abrasive Technology “ Next generation fixed abrasive processing committee

On Jun 20, 2025 at the Nihon University in Tokyo, Element Six member Dermot O’Malley gave the talk with support of Ryuma Watanabe of Quod6. It was 121st  Workshop of the Special Committee on Next-Generation Fixed Abrasive Processing (SF Committee) of JSAT (Japan Society for Abrasive Technology)https://www.jsat.or.jp

In the talk the 80 year history of industrial, synthetic HPHT and CVD diamonds of Element Six was introduced. Diamonds are the hardest material, so diamonds are used in processing semiconductor wafers. Beyond this, diamonds possess other extreme properties especially when it comes to heat dissipation. No other material transfers heat like diamond does. So, CVD diamonds are used more and more in applications like high power RF amplification, radar, satellites and lasers. Using diamonds electronic devices can be made smaller while handling even higher electrical power. Standard available Element Six thermal material provides 2,220W/mK!

Element Six is challenging beyond the thermal properties to make CVD diamonds become active electronic devices of sizes of 4” wafers.