Japan is stepping ahead of the world in the use of synthetic diamonds to power next-gen semiconductors, offering performance in orders of magnitude beyond current materials, and it’s getting closer to commercial viability thanks to advances coming out of Japan.

VIEW GALLERY – 3 IMAGES

These new semiconductors are made from synthetic diamond, which has been referred to as the “ultimate semiconductor material” thanks to its beyond-impressive thermal conductivity and electrical strength. Diamond is fantastic to power semiconductors, as it is around 33x stronger in electric strength as an insulator as silicon.

Diamond power semiconductors can also operate in environments around 5x as hot, and theoretically have the capacity to handle around 50,000x as much electricity. Yes… 50,000x the electricity through diamond power semiconductors, all advancing from Japan. Silicon Carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN) have received attention recently as the next-gen semiconductor substrates, but the performance on the table with diamond is far better.

In a report from Nikkei Asia, the use of diamond power semiconductors using the Baliga figure of merit, diamond has 80x the performance of SiC and over 10x the performance of GaN. The higher Baliga figure of merit score points to the material being able to significantly reduce power loss.

Diamond power semiconductors are being considered for use in chips that require large, stable power supply, so we’re looking at things like electric vehicles, flying cars, and power generation stations. Thanks to their resistance to high temperatures and radiation, we should see the new diamond power semiconductors ready to use in nuclear power and space, as well as other industries.

There has been research into using diamonds in semiconductors for over 30 years now, with multiple roadblocks hit, but it seems Japanese researchers are finally getting to the point where we have a future of diamond power semiconductors inside of next-gen vehicles, products, and even into space.

Diamonds are incredibly hard and are incredibly difficult to grind and process the material with the precision needed for electronic devices. Not only that, but diamond can also deteriorate when used in semiconductors over long periods of time, so attempting to form larger substrates with diamonds isn’t easy, and the associated costs have stopped diamond semiconductors from being commercialized.

Japan is the leader in diamond semiconductor R&D research, with considerable progress made in recent years, with diamond semiconductors expected to enter the commercialization stage sometime between 2025 and 2030, so we’re not too far away from this future-gen semiconductor technology powered by diamonds.

In 2023, a team from Japan’s Saga University successfully developed the world’s first power circuit using diamond semiconductors, with Tokyo-based manufacturer of precision components, Orbray, developed technology to mass produce 2-inch diamond wafers, surpassing the previous limit of 1-inch diamond wafers. Orbray expects to develop a larger 4-inch diamond wafer soon.

Power Diamond Systems is a Tokyo startup that developed a diamond component capable of handling a world-leading 6.8 amperes of electrical current back in December 2023, and expects to start shipping samples in the next couple of years. Ookuma Diamond Device is another startup in Japan, located in Hokkaido, and is currently constructing a new factory in Fukushima prefecture that will mass produce diamond semiconductors.

The plant is expected to be operational in fiscal 2026, with the aim of installing semiconductors in equipment used for removing debris at the disaster-struck Fukushima Daaichi nuclear plant.

Takuya Ito, representative director of synthetic diamond wholesaler Pure Diamond, said: “The production of synthetic diamonds depends on the technological capabilities of the company, not on the machines being used“.