Method for contact diffusion of impurities into diamond and other crystalline structures and products

摘要

A low free energy method for more rapidly diffusing an impurity as exemplified by boron, into a natural or synthetic diamond or other crystalline element in powdered or granular form, without degradation of the crystalline structure. The present method includes the steps of providing a mixture of the diamond or other crystalline element and the impurity in a solid phase; treating the mixture to bring the impurity into conforming contact with the outer surface of the crystalline element; and heating the mixture to a temperature between about 200° C. and about 2000° C. As an example, a diamond is disclosed having boron as an impurity diffused into the crystalline structure thereof by the present method, at a ratio of from about 0.1 part of the impurity per 1 million parts of the diamond to about 600 parts of the impurity per 1 million parts of the diamond.