Abstract: A body of single crystal CVD (chemical vapour deposition) diamond particularly suitable as a wear resistant material for wear applications, such as wire drawing dies, graphical tools or stichels, or fluid jet nozzles. The diamond typically has a low wear rate, exhibits a low birefringence indicative of low strain and possesses an ability to be processed to show a high surface polish.

Abstract: A method of producing a CVD single crystal diamond layer on a substrate includes adding into a DVD synthesis atmosphere a gaseous source comprising silicon. The method can be used to mark the diamond material, for instance to provide means by which its synthetic nature can more easily be determined. It can also be exploited to generate single crystal diamond material of high colour.

Abstract: A tiled array of diamond plates, which is suitable for wafer scale processing, for example, in the manufacture of electronic or other device structures on the diamond plates. The diamond plates are fixed to a support layer, preferably a polycrystalline diamond support layer, in a substantially planar arrangement such that at least one of the major surfaces of the respective fixed diamond plates defines a fabrication surface that is exposed for further processing. The support layer may be a backing layer, in which case only one of the major faces of the diamond substrate is exposed for further processing, or may extend between respective diamond substrates such that both major surfaces are exposed for further processing.

Abstract: A method of marking or coloring a diamond article, such as a surgical blade, wire die, diamond anvil, laser window, or the like, to generate a reference mark that may subsequently be modified, reduced or removed by an annealing technique. The method of coloring uses particles such as electrons, ions, neutrons, or gammas, which are preferably of high energy, and preferably in a form of a controlled beam. The treatment is such that the particles or beam used in the treatment cause local damage or defect centers in the material, such defect centers then generating the desired color or mark.

Abstract: A method of detecting radiation that includes providing a layer of high purity single crystal CVD diamond, applying an electric field of no greater than 0.5 V/?m to the layer, exposing the layer to the radiation thereby generating a signal, and detecting the signal.

Abstract: A process of making a product which comprises at least two layers in contact with each other, each layer being of a wide-gap material and each layer differing from each other in at least one property, includes the steps of: (i) providing a substrate of a wide-band gap material having a surface and a region adjacent the surface having a particular characteristic, (ii) ion implanting the substrate through the surface to form a damaged layer below that surface, (iii) growing a layer of a wide-band gap material by chemical vapour deposition on at least a portion of the surface of the substrate through which ion implantation occurred, the material of the grown layer having a characteristic different to that of the region of the substrate adjacent the surface through which ion implantation occurred, and (iv) severing the substrate through the damaged layer. The wide-gap material is preferably diamond.