What can be done with bigger diamonds?

[OAQfirst]

The Carnegie Institution found a way to make bigger and better diamonds. What are the potential applications for this? What does this mean for engineers and scientists?

http://news.yahoo.com/s/livescience/scientistsgrowbiggerbetterdiamonds

 

[mgb_phys]

Could have interesting optical uses - especially for windows or for lenses in chip litho steppers.
Diamond has the highest refractive index - although it would be a bugger to polish.
It also has the highest ratio of thermal conductivity to electrical resistance so is an ideal chip substrate if you could get it to lattice match silicon a bit better.

Most industrial uses as abrasives use diamond dust, this is cheaper than CVD diamond anyway.

 

[Topher925]

What are the potential applications for this? What does this mean for engineers and scientists?

 

[Danger]

I seem to recall that diamond anvils are used for extremely high-pressure applications. Perhaps larger experiments could be conducted with the new diamonds.

 

[mgb_phys]

You normally use the anvil to concentrate force at a point - larger diamonds mean lower pressures.
I like topher's suggestion - presumably larger diamonds work on larger women?

 

[Danger]

You normally use the anvil to concentrate force at a point - larger diamonds mean lower pressures.

Agreed, but the article seemed to indicate that the new synthetics might be stronger than natural diamonds, due to fewer defects. Wouldn't that allow for more pressure to be applied?

 

[LURCH]

Larger diamonds on a diamond-edged saw would equate to courser grit, so the saw would cut faster. (The same, of course, for diamond sanders and all sorts of industrial applications.)

 

[Naty1]

Topher's post pictures it ALL!