Crystallume: Solving Customer Problems with CVD Diamond Technology

Solving Customer Problems with CVD Diamond Technology

Founded in 1984, Crystallume pioneered the development and application of Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) diamond technology. Since then, Crystallume's coating experts have become specialists at solving customer problems with diamond technology.

Diamond Helps Improve Product Performance

Diamond technology isn't new. In the late 1950s, Russian scientists first suggested the idea that diamond could be synthesized by CVD techniques under low pressure. Product designers were interested but, initially, it was viewed as an exotic and expensive solution. Today, with advancements in technology, customers consider CVD diamond to be a viable and important solution for many cutting tool and hard coating applications. In defense, manufacturing, medicine, computing, and many other areas – from components to systems – diamond helps improve product performance.

CVD diamond has all the extreme chemical and physical properties of natural diamond and high-pressure, high temperature (HPHT) synthetic diamond. CVD diamond is essentially pure diamond formed as interconnected diamond microcrystallites with no binder – grown directly on the tool substrate.

With the intense interest of product designers, diamond may become as common as aluminum is today. Its popularity has grown because diamond properties are found at the extreme poles on material scales and therefore offer many benefits.

Benefits of Diamond

Highest degree of hardness of any material – the lowest coefficient of friction.
Highest thermal conductivity – the lowest chemical reactivity.
Highest tensile and compressive strength – broadest range of optical transmissivity.

As a manufacturer, you place high demands on the performance of materials. Diamond is the perfect solution and Crystallume's specialty. Contact one of our engineers – We'll suggest how to implement diamond into your manufacturing process and improve your product performance today!

Pure Diamond – Grown from Methane Gas

The DCC® (Diamond Coated Carbide) technology developed by Crystallume in 1992 produces continuous diamond coating with all the extreme chemical and physical properties of natural and high-pressure high temperature (HPHT) synthetic diamond. It is essentially pure diamond that is grown from methane gas. This diamond coating of intergrown diamond microcrystallites with no binder is deposited by proprietary chemical vapor depository technology. It is superior to other alternative coatings like DLC, PCD and Plated Diamond.

Comparison of Crystallume CVD Diamond with Current Alternative Materials
Property	Crystallume CVD Diamond	Alternative
Thermal Conductivity (w/cm-°C)@25°C	10-18	Copper 4.0
Hardness (kg/mm2)	9000	CBN 4500
Optical Transmissivity	225 nm to far IR	Sapphire
Band Gap (eV)	5.4	GaAs 1.43
Coefficient of Friction	0.05-0.7	Teflon®0.05
Thermal Expansion (ppm)	2.0	Si 2.6
Electrical Resistivity (ohm-cm)	1015 (<10-3doped)	AI203 1015

Available Crystallume Coatings

ThunderBolt – P47 Series

Our thinnest diamond coating is only 2 to 4 microns thick and gives up tool life – for extreme edge sharpness. This coating is only available on end mills smaller than 1/4" in diameter.

Lightning – P38 Series

Lightning is a diamond coating that is between ThunderBolt and Standard Premium in thickness. This coating gives up tool life due to reduced thickness – for lower cost. For reference, it is approximately 8 to 12 microns on a 1/4" end mill.

Standard Premium

Standard Premium is our original and the most versatile coating thickness. For reference, it is approximately 18 to 20 microns thick on 1/4" and larger diameter tools. This is our best general purpose coating and is available on all products – end mills, drills, inserts and as a toll coating.

Standard Premium Plus

Standard Premium Plus (also known as Milkshake Coating) is available as special order. This coating can be as thick as 30 microns for use in severe and extremely abrasive applications. This coating is available on end mills, drills, inserts and as a toll coating.