Small Wafers Of Diamond Can Be Used For Storing Quantum Memory

Jul, 2022 - By SMI

Scientists developed a novel technique to create 2 inch diamond wafers that could be used for storing high-density data equivalent of one billion Blu-Ray discs

Diamonds are known to be the highly promising materials to be used in practical quantum computing systems. A team of scientists at Saga University and Adamant Namiki Precision Jewelery Co. created a novel method to create 2 inch (5 cm) diamond wafer that could be used for storing quantum memory. The diamond with ultra-high purity makes it capable of storing an astounding amount of data that is equivalent of one billion Blue-Ray discs.

A specific defect in diamond called as a nitrogen vacancy center is used for storing data in the form of superconducting quantum bits (qubits), however, excessive nitrogen in the diamond can disrupt its capabilities of quantum storage. Due to this, the team had to choose between large diamond wafers with excessive nitrogen or ultra-pure diamond wafers that so small that they could not be used so much for storing data. However, the team of researchers developed new technique to manufacture diamond wafers with ultra-high purity and having appropriate size for practical application. With this technique, the team developed diamond wafers measuring 5 cm (2 inch) with astounding data intensity equivalent of a billion Blue-Ray discs.

The team explained that these diamonds consist a concentration of nitrogen under three parts per billion, which makes them significantly pure. According to the team, these wafers are the largest with such purity, while most of the others get to only 4mm2 at most. To achieve these results, requires a new technique of manufacturing, where the team created a change in traditional method of making diamond wafers, where the substrate material where the crystal grows was shaped like steps spreading the strain horizontally and preventing cracks. Due to this, the team was able to make bigger wafers of diamonds with higher purity.