Methods of growing
Lab Grown diamonds
Lab Grown diamonds
HPHT
CVD
Creating diamonds in a lab is still a fairly new technology, but is growing in
popularity. The composition is identical to that of earth-mined diamonds, but the
methods in which they are derived differs greatly. There are two different
methods for farming lab grown diamonds. One is the High Pressure High
Temperature (HPHT) and the other is Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD). The
quality is continually increasing, and to the naked eye you won’t have a clue that
you are looking at a manufactured creation.
HPHT
Diamond seed is placed in a specifically designed press.
The growth chamber is heated to 1300-1600°C with pressures above 8,70,000 pounds per square inch.
The molten metal dissolves the high purity carbon source.
Carbon atoms precipitate on a small diamond seed crystal, and a synthetic diamond begins to grow.
The lab-grown crystal is then cut and polished by a diamond cutter.
The growth chamber is heated to 1300-1600°C with pressures above 8,70,000 pounds per square inch.
The molten metal dissolves the high purity carbon source.
Carbon atoms precipitate on a small diamond seed crystal, and a synthetic diamond begins to grow.
The lab-grown crystal is then cut and polished by a diamond cutter.
CVD
Diamond seed crystals are placed in a diamond growth chamber which is filled with carbon-containing gas.
The chamber is heated to about 900 - 1200°C.
A microwave beam causes carbon to precipitate out of a plasma cloud and deposit onto a seed crystal.
Diamonds are removed every few days to have the top surface polished, to remove any non-diamond carbon. Each batch of diamonds may require several stop/start cycles, and the entire growth process can take three or four weeks.
After the synthetic diamond crystals are removed, they are ready to be cut and polished into the final product.
The chamber is heated to about 900 - 1200°C.
A microwave beam causes carbon to precipitate out of a plasma cloud and deposit onto a seed crystal.
Diamonds are removed every few days to have the top surface polished, to remove any non-diamond carbon. Each batch of diamonds may require several stop/start cycles, and the entire growth process can take three or four weeks.
After the synthetic diamond crystals are removed, they are ready to be cut and polished into the final product.