PFI: BIC- Innovations in Chemical Vapor Deposited Diamond Crystals and Nanostructured Diamond Coatings

来自阿拉巴马大学伯明翰分校（UAB）的创新伙伴关系：建设创新能力项目计划利用化学气相沉积（CVD）合成金刚石的最新进展，以开发用于极端环境的下一代基于金刚石的传感器，以及用于更高功率固态激光器和更持久生物医学植入物的金刚石涂层。在过去的三十年中，金刚石合成的发展使得在各种表面上生长单晶、多晶和纳米晶金刚石成为可能。将UAB在CVD金刚石合成方面的现有研究专长和知识产权与该项目中即将进行的技术导向研究相结合，将导致开发1)用于极端环境下表征材料的新型金刚石传感器；2) CVD包覆金刚石激光介质，改善散热；3)金刚石涂层生物医学植入物，使用寿命超过30年。本项目旨在解决CVD金刚石薄膜在激光介质和生物医学植入材料（如不锈钢和钴铬合金）上的粘附性遇到的困难和改进方法。该研究还将有助于了解金刚石单晶的生长机制以及在金属和非金属基底上生长纳米结构金刚石涂层的知识基础。本研究的更广泛影响是提高学术机构和工业合作伙伴公司的创新能力。在这个项目中提出的研究将产生嵌入电、磁和应力传感器的金刚石晶体，用于极端压力和温度条件下的应用。生物医学植入物寿命的延长将改善数百万美国人的生活质量，并减少对修复手术的需求。金刚石涂层激光介质具有损耗小、损伤阈值高的特点，将使激光在工业和医学上有新的应用。UAB博士后学者、研究生和本科生将通过与行业人员密切接触而受益。此外，通过与伯明翰商业联盟（BBA）合作，这是一个专注于伯明翰七县地区经济增长的经济发展组织，该项目将对伯明翰市中心地区创新仓库的新业务核心产生更广泛的影响。项目启动时的合作伙伴有：1)牵头机构：阿拉巴马大学（物理系）；2)小企业合作伙伴：Almax easyLab Inc.（总部位于马萨诸塞州波士顿）；Onyx Optics Inc.(Dublin， CA)；Vista Engineering & & Consulting LLC （Birmingham， AL）。

This Partnerships for Innovation: Building Innovation Capacity project from the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) plans to capitalize on the recent advances in the synthesis of diamond by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) in order to develop the next generation of diamond-based sensors for extreme environments and diamond-coatings for higher-power solid state lasers and longer-lasting biomedical implants. Developments in the synthesis of diamond over the last three decades have made it possible to grow mono-, poly-, and nano-crystalline diamond on various surfaces. Combining UAB's existing research expertise and intellectual property in the synthesis of CVD diamond with the technological-oriented research to be performed in this project will lead to the development of 1) novel diamond-based sensors for characterizing materials under extreme environments; 2) CVD diamond-coated laser media for improved heat dissipation; and 3) diamond-coated biomedical implants with lifespan extending over thirty years. This project aims to address the difficulties encountered in and ways to improve on the adhesion of CVD diamond films on laser media and biomedical implant materials like stainless steel and cobalt-chrome alloys. The research will also contribute to the knowledge base on the growth mechanisms of diamond single crystals as well as on the growth of nanostructured diamond coatings on metallic and non-metallic substrates.The broader impacts of this research are enhanced innovative capacities of the academic institution and the industrial partner companies. The research proposed in this project will result in diamond crystals with embedded electrical, magnetic, and stress sensors for applications in extreme conditions of pressures and temperatures. The increase in lifespan of biomedical implants will improve the quality of life for millions of Americans and will reduce the need for revision surgeries. The diamond-coated laser media with minimal loss and high damage threshold will enable new laser applications in industry and medicine. UAB postdoctoral scholars, graduate and undergraduate students will benefit from the exposure they will receive by working in close contact with the industry personnel. Also, by partnering with Birmingham Business Alliance (BBA), an economic development organization focused on the economic growth in the seven-county Birmingham region, this project will have a broader impact in the nucleation of new businesses in the innovation depot in the downtown Birmingham area.Partners at the inception of the project are 1) Lead Institution: University of Alabama (Department of Physics) and 2) Small Business Partners: Almax easyLab Inc.(headquartered in Boston, MA); Onyx Optics Inc.(Dublin, CA); and Vista Engineering & Consulting LLC (Birmingham, AL).