ntegration of novel sensors for automating HPHT diamond processes

This industry led, collaborative project will investigate new and existing remote sensing technologies, , for application in High Pressure High Temperature (HPHT) diamond synthesis. To date, the challenge of extreme pressures (up to 15GPa), temperatures (up to 2000K) in the presence of molten metal catalysts in HPHT synthesis, have prevented the routine incorporation of real-time pressure sensing or even robust temperature sensing. As a result, current diamond production processes are effectively "flying blind", This lack of feedback control from the synthesis capsule severely limits automation.
During this three year project, we hope to identify and develop robust or remote sensing technologies that are able give real-time information about pressures and temperatures during the diamond synthesis process.The outputs from these sensors will then be used to increase automation in existing processes and also to enable development of robust predictive modelling, leading to increase efficiency throughout R&D and Production.
Element Six (E6) is the lead partner and industrial end user whilst Oxford University will be providing the sensing expertise