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Diamond power electronics

Satellite communication has become a ubiquitous service in our days, bringing telephone service to remote places on our earth and and internet connection on board transcontinental flights. This development necessitates a decrease in size and weight of the satellites, because of cost and time savings during the development phase, the launch of the sattelite and a higher flexibility in ground coverage. These smaller satellites need smaller and more efficient electronics without compromising the capability of receiving and transmitting high amounts of data in the harsh conditions in space.

Synthetic diamond offers advantages to a new generation of fast and efficient amplifiers for transmitters. It combines physical properties of low mass density, high breakthrough voltage, high charge carrier mobility, high heat conductivity and resistance against radiation and is thus extremely well suited for application in satellites. Successful fabrication of isolating and conducting, monocrystalline diamond layers using plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition has opened up an interesting perspective to develop electronic components for high voltages, currents and frequencies. Researcher at the chair of power electronics evaluate the structural and electrical properties of synthetic diamond with regard to processing it into high power diodes and transistors for applications in communication technologies.

Cut and polished synthetic diamond

Cut and polished synthetic diamond gem