The effect of SiC on the growth habit of Fe-Ni-C system Ib gem grade diamond crystals

Abstract

This article investigates the influence of different silicon carbide contents on the morphology and quality of diamond single crystals synthesized in the Fe-Ni-C-Si system under high temperature and pressure environments. It was found that silicon successfully entered the diamond lattice through bonding. As the doping concentration increases, the growth rate of diamond crystals decreases and defects appear on the crystal surface. The increase in internal stress in the lattice reduces the quality of diamond, as evidenced by the shift in Raman peak and half peak width of the diamond. Moreover, the infrared characterization results showed that the nitrogen element in the crystal exists as a single atom (C-center) in the diamond crystal, and the nitrogen content decreases with the increase of SiC content. This work provides insights for understanding the growth mechanism of natural diamonds and enriching the application of silicon doped diamond single crystals.