In recent years, diamond has gradually become a focal point in the semiconductor industry.
To achieve green and low-carbon goals, the semiconductor industry has been pursuing more efficient and powerful semiconductor devices over the past few years. While traditional silicon materials are widely used, they are nearing their efficiency limits, particularly under high-temperature and high-pressure conditions. The emergence and development of materials like gallium nitride (GaN) and silicon carbide (SiC) have allowed the industry to overcome the constraints of silicon, leading to the development of more efficient and sustainable technologies. Today, these materials play a crucial role in renewable energy systems, electric vehicles, and other carbon-reduction technologies.
However, the exploration does not end there. Diamond, long valued for its aesthetic appeal, has recently entered the spotlight as a new semiconductor material following GaN and SiC, garnering significant attention from researchers and industry experts.
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“Ultimate Semiconductor Material” with Broad Prospects
Diamond, an ultra-wide-bandgap semiconductor with exceptional electrical, optical, mechanical, thermal, and chemical properties, is hailed as the “ultimate semiconductor material” and the “ultimate room-temperature quantum material.” With its unique physical and chemical properties, diamond holds vast potential for future applications.
Diamond semiconductors boast ultra-wide bandgaps (5.45 eV), high breakdown field strength (10 MV/cm), high carrier saturation drift velocity, and excellent thermal conductivity (22 W/cm·K), surpassing third-generation semiconductors like GaN and SiC. Its superior device quality factors (Johnson, Keyes, Baliga) enable the development of high-temperature, high-frequency, high-power, and radiation-resistant electronic devices using diamond substrates. This addresses technical challenges like “self-heating effects” and “avalanche breakdowns,” proving vital for advancements in 5G/6G communications, microwave/millimeter-wave integrated circuits, and detection and sensing technologies.
Additionally, diamond’s high exciton binding energy (80 meV) facilitates intense free exciton emission at room temperature (wavelength ~235 nm), showing significant promise in developing high-power deep-ultraviolet LEDs and extreme ultraviolet/high-energy particle detectors.
Diamond electronic devices can reduce the thermal management demands of traditional semiconductors, improve energy efficiency, withstand higher breakdown voltages, and operate in harsh environments.
For example, in electric vehicles, diamond-based power electronics can enable more efficient power conversion, extend battery life, and reduce charging times. In telecommunications, particularly in the deployment of 5G and advanced networks, the demand for high-frequency, high-power devices is increasing. Single-crystal diamond substrates provide the necessary thermal management and frequency performance, supporting next-generation communication systems, including RF switches, amplifiers, and transmitters. In consumer electronics, these substrates can drive the development of smaller, faster, and more efficient components for smartphones, laptops, and wearables, fostering product innovation and enhancing the overall performance of the consumer electronics market.
According to market research firm VirtueMarket, the global diamond semiconductor substrate market was valued at $151 million in 2023 and is expected to reach $342 million by the end of 2030, with a forecasted compound annual growth rate of 12.3% from 2024 to 2030. The Asia-Pacific region, driven by growing demand in countries like China, Japan, and South Korea, is projected to dominate the diamond semiconductor substrate market, accounting for over 40% of global revenue share in 2023.
Underpinned by its advantages and broad prospects, diamond has demonstrated immense potential and value across multiple segments of the semiconductor industry chain, including heat sinks, packaging, micro/nano-fabrication, BDD electrodes, and quantum technology applications. It is gradually permeating key areas of the semiconductor industry, driving technological innovation and industrial upgrading.
However, significant challenges remain in the growth of diamond semiconductor materials.
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U.S.-Japan Competition in Diamond Semiconductors
Diamond’s hardness makes it difficult to grind and process with the precision required for electronic devices. Long-term use in semiconductors can also degrade its properties. Creating larger substrates from diamond is particularly challenging, and cost remains a barrier to commercialization.
Despite these challenges, substantial progress in recent years suggests that diamond semiconductors may enter commercialization between 2024 and 2030. Japanese manufacturers have made rapid advances in this field.
Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry offers subsidies to support facility construction in specific areas like Fukushima Prefecture, aiding diamond semiconductor factory development.
Tokyo-based precision component manufacturer Orbray has developed technology for mass-producing 2-inch diamond wafers, surpassing the previous 1-inch limit, and plans to develop 4-inch wafers soon.
A research team led by Professor Makoto Kasu of Saga University’s Faculty of Science and Engineering has successfully developed a diamond semiconductor power circuit. This breakthrough demonstrates the feasibility of high-speed switching and prolonged operation, paving the way for applications in 6G communication standards, quantum computing, and other cutting-edge technologies.
Tokyo-based startup Power Diamond Systems has developed a diamond component capable of handling a world-leading 6.8-amp current and plans to ship samples within a few years.
Another Japanese startup, Ookuma Diamond Device Corporation, raised ¥4 billion (~$35 million) in a pre-Series A round and is building a factory in Fukushima Prefecture for mass-producing diamond semiconductors, aiming to begin operations by March 2026. The company’s semiconductors, which can withstand high temperatures and radiation, are expected to aid in the decommissioning of TEPCO’s Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, marking the world’s first mass-production factory for diamond semiconductors.
In addition to Japan, the U.S. is actively investing in diamond semiconductor R&D and commercialization.
In November last year, the U.S. Department of Energy announced funding for several projects aimed at developing next-generation semiconductor technologies, including diamond semiconductors. For example, the University of Illinois received millions in funding to develop photonic-triggered diamond semiconductor switches and high-power diamond photonic devices.
The U.S. has achieved notable advancements in diamond semiconductor fabrication technologies. Researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign have developed a diamond semiconductor device with the highest breakdown voltage and lowest leakage current, underscoring its potential in power grids and other high-voltage applications.
Element Six, a synthetic diamond materials company under De Beers Group, leads a new DARPA project called UWBGS (Ultra-Wide Bandgap Semiconductors), collaborating with partners to develop 4-inch single-crystal diamond materials—ten times larger than existing conventional materials—to accelerate key electronic technologies.
Additionally, DARPA has commissioned Raytheon to develop ultra-wide-bandgap semiconductors based on synthetic diamond and aluminum nitride (AlN) for U.S. military equipment. This project involves two phases: the first focuses on thin-film development, while the second emphasizes improving diamond and AlN technologies for larger-diameter wafers, especially for sensor applications, within three years.
China is also making strides in this field. Xi’an Jiaotong University’s Wide Bandgap Semiconductor Materials and Devices Research Center has industrialized 2-inch diamond production, filling a domestic gap and exceeding foreign benchmarks. Its single-crystal diamond materials are widely used in 5G communications, providing core materials and technological support for high-frequency, high-power detection companies. The research team has also achieved mass production of 2-inch heteroepitaxial single-crystal diamond substrates using microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition (MPCVD) technology.
In October, Henan Kezhicheng announced the production of its diamond wafer line and launched its first product: a 3.5 GHz diamond-based surface acoustic wave high-frequency filter, marking a transition from laboratory research to production.
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Bypassing China’s Control in Third-Generation Semiconductor Materials
Advanced power chips and RF amplifiers rely on wide-bandgap semiconductor materials like GaN, but China controls much of the global gallium supply. In July 2023, China implemented export controls on gallium and germanium, effective August 1, allowing the government to scrutinize the end users and applications of these critical metals to safeguard national security and interests.
China accounts for the majority of global gallium production, while other countries have largely ceased production due to high costs and limited supply chain infrastructure. Gallium is typically produced as a by-product in refineries focused on materials like zinc or alumina.
With a 3.4 eV bandgap, GaN is the leading material for high-power and high-frequency semiconductors. However, synthetic diamond, with a bandgap of about 5.5 eV, may outperform GaN in applications requiring high-frequency performance, extreme thermal management, and durability.
The U.S. military depends on GaN for efficient power transmission in cutting-edge radar systems and missile defense. A breakthrough in diamond semiconductors would enable the U.S. and Japan to circumvent China’s dominance in third-generation semiconductor materials.
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