Forget diamonds, scientists have designed a new type of hard stone that is harder and brighter than naturally formed diamonds. In the third phase of development, Q-carbon is a distinct form of carbon, with properties distinct from graphite and diamonds. The only place where these stones can be found naturally are at the cores of some other planets – or, earth scientists’ laboratories!
The creation technique of the material was described in an article published in the Journal of Applied Physics on Monday. A tiny laser beam is concentrated into a piece of amorphous carbon for 200 nanoseconds rapidly heating it to about 3,700 degrees Celcius before the spot cools to create a miniscule synthetic Q-carbon. In just 15 minutes, a carat of diamonds can be made.
“This new phase is very unique,” said study co-author Jagdish Narayan, a materials scientist at North Carolina State University. “It has novel electrical, optical and magnetic properties.”
These one-of-a-kind sparklers give off a soft glow.
