半导体“材料之王”金刚石，如何走出实验室？

Core Viewpoint - Diamond, regarded as the "ultimate semiconductor," is at a critical juncture for industrialization, with its exceptional thermal management and wide bandgap capabilities potentially addressing significant challenges in chip heating and supporting advanced technologies like AI and high-power radar [1]. Group 1: Challenges in Industrialization - The path to diamond's industrialization involves overcoming three major barriers: material preparation, processing technology, and cost control [3]. - Manufacturing large, high-quality single crystal diamonds is expensive, and achieving cost-effective production is a significant challenge [3]. - Effective doping of diamonds to create semiconductors with controllable conductivity remains a fundamental scientific issue [3]. - The processing of diamonds is complicated due to their extreme hardness, leading to high material loss during cutting and polishing [3]. Group 2: Cost Considerations - Cost is a decisive barrier; regardless of performance, high prices hinder market acceptance. The current realistic application for diamonds is in thermal management, with a target cost of under 100 yuan for a 10mm x 10mm diamond heat sink [4]. Group 3: Industry Ecosystem and Competition - The potential risks in the industry ecosystem include excessive competition and over-speculation, as seen in the development of sapphire and silicon carbide [6]. - Experts emphasize the need for steady development and focus on solving practical technical issues rather than blindly following trends to reduce irrational competition [6]. - The diverse application scenarios for diamonds, including optical, electrical, acoustic, and thermal uses, may help mitigate competitive pressure [6]. Group 4: Innovation and Intellectual Property - Continuous innovation and effective protection of intellectual property are essential for healthy competition in the diamond industry [7][8]. - The strength of intellectual property protection is crucial; rapid imitation of new technologies can lead to price wars, necessitating an environment that respects and protects innovation [8]. Group 5: Path to Commercial Value - Thermal management is identified as the fastest area for diamonds to generate commercial value, driven by increasing power demands in electronic devices [9]. - Achieving mass application in thermal management can help accumulate experience and reduce costs across the industry chain [9]. - The industry is also exploring applications beyond semiconductors, such as in thermal composite materials and biomedical fields, which can help diversify risks and expand market opportunities [9]. Group 6: Long-term Perspective - The industrialization of diamonds is a long-term process requiring patience and sustained support from national strategies to navigate the challenges from laboratory to market [10].