Moissanite stands out from the pack as an exceptional gem, sparkling with more fire and brilliance than diamond. Since its discovery over 100 years ago, its captivating beauty has entranced jewelers.
Henri Moissan of France was the first to discover moissanite in meteorites and kimberlites, though most jewelry-grade moissanite today is lab-created using an advanced thermal method.
Lely process
Silicon carbide (SiC) is a relatively new semiconductor base material; however, its promise in power and RF applications was quickly identified early. A suitable manufacturing process wasn’t established until the 1970s; today however, the Lely process is the go-to manufacturing method for SiC substrates; this involves growing single crystals at controlled high temperature environments using highly pure Si and carbon to form single crystals which are then grown as ingots with specified purity, stoichiometry, grain size distribution as well as electrical parameters like conductivity characteristics.
This production method mirrors the natural formation of moissanite by creating large crystals in an inert atmosphere over several months, replicating natural processes of formation. This results in crystals with desirable physical characteristics like low thermal expansion and good rigidity – ideal qualities for heating elements for example.
Moissanite can be created in two steps. First, silicon carbide must be synthesized. This can be accomplished by heating a mixture of pure silica quartz sand and petroleum coke in an electric arc furnace – producing dense silicon carbide material similar to moissanite’s structure.
After initial synthesis of raw material, additional processes are implemented to transform it into a crystalline substrate. These include decarbonization, crystallization and purging impurities – ultimately yielding crystals with high performance properties such as high refractive index and low thermal expansion.
This process is based on the Lely method, invented in 1955 by chemist Lely. This involves vaporizing and condensing silicon carbide without passing through liquid state; however, this caused difficulties controlling impurities. In the early 1980s, another chemist named Davis discovered a way to control impurities by heating silicon vapor carbid to 2500degC before cooling it in an argon gas atmosphere; this produced clear and colorless crystals which became known as Moissanite after their discoverer Henri Moissan discovered them.
Flux growth
Silicon carbide is an extremely hard mineral with a Mohs scale hardness of 9, making it one of the hardest minerals on earth. Silicon carbide can be made into bulletproof vests and ceramic plates; additionally it’s often used in cutting applications as an abrasive. Furthermore, silicon carbide provides good high temperature performance thanks to its low coefficient of thermal expansion.
Moissanite is a gemstone composed of silicon carbide that was first discovered in 1893 by Henri Moissan and named for him. Although rare, moissanite can only be found in iron-nickel meteorites or some ultramafic igneous formations. At first there were doubts regarding its discovery as some assumed its samples might have been contaminated from saw blades used to cut meteorites – however this argument has since been disproven as Dr Henri Moissan used only silicon carbide blades when preparing his specimens himself!
Most synthetic moissanite produced today is synthetic; most manufacturers utilize the flux growth method for production. This involves heating a mixture of silicon carbide powder and flux mixture at high temperature before gradually cooling it slowly until crystallization occurs on a seed crystal and producing moissanite with striking similarity to its natural counterpart.
PVT (physical vapor transport) process offers another means of producing synthetic moissanite. This involves sublimating silicon carbide in a vacuum before depositing it on seed crystals – creating multiple crystals at once and easily controlling their sizes.
Moissanite jewelry can be more affordable for individuals who desire an eye-catching piece with unique color and clarity than its diamond counterpart, since its price is determined by millimeter size rather than carat weight. Furthermore, moissanite weighs 15% less than diamonds so you’re more likely to get larger pieces for the same cost.
PVT (physical vapor transport)
PVT testing allows manufacturing teams to ensure each chip performs at its peak in terms of temperature and power specifications, risk management protocols, sellable product design and mass production capacity. Furthermore, PVT allows teams to tweak products or make necessary modifications prior to mass production as well as perform other tests such as ALC or vibration tests.
Silicon Carbide (SiC) is an industrial material with numerous applications in electronics. As a wide-bandgap semiconductor with excellent thermal stability and breakdown voltage, SiC is used in devices such as MOSFETs and Schottky diodes that utilize its power capabilities. Due to low thermal conductivity and doping requirements necessary for improved electrical properties, this material may need further modifications before it can be put into service in higher temperature components like gas turbines.
Physical Vapor Transport Technique (PVT) can be an effective means of producing large, high-grade silicon carbide crystals. In this process, molten silicon carbon is transferred through a porous barrier member from its graphite crucible at high temperature until sublimated; then its vapor passes through this barrier member before depositing on seed crystals. Any material porous enough to allow silicon vapor passage can serve as the barrier member.
Moissanite, commonly referred to as the mineral’s byproduct, boasts superior mechanical properties and can be grown into various shapes. Highly resistant to scratches and abrasions, moissanite is one of the hardest minerals in existence with a hardness rating of 9.25 on Mohs scale and very strong, resisting cracks or fractures without becoming damaged over time.
Though moissanite is not a widely available mineral, small amounts can be found in certain meteorites and corundum, another compound of silicon and carbon. With its hexagonal crystal structure and stable high temperature behavior, moissanite can be easily cast into various shapes for use in jewelry applications as well.
Chemical vapor deposition
Chemical Vapor Deposition, or CVD, is an innovative technique used to deposit nonvolatile solid films onto substrates. The technique can be applied to producing semiconductor wafers, silicon carbide and other materials; its applications range from producing semiconductor wafers at elevated temperatures to atmospheric pressure environments. Precursor gases adsorb and react at the surface of a wafer to form desired material that conforms to its crystal structure, with highly dense results which can also be patterned into desired shapes.
CVD technology has multiple applications in electronics, optoelectronics and catalysis – from the production of single-crystal silicon epitaxial layers to fabricating microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) and nanoelectromechanical systems (NEMS). Unfortunately, its high temperature requirements for growing SiC has limited its usage as part of fabrication of MEMS/NEMS devices – but studies are ongoing to develop low temperature CVD processes for use within these applications.
Moissanite is a form of silicon carbide created in laboratories using various techniques. As one of the hardest minerals on Earth with a Mohs hardness rating of 9.25, moissanite has gained prominence as an alternative to diamond due to its similar thermal and electrical properties; hence its nickname as “diamond substitute.” Moissanite boasts excellent durability features that prevent scratching or cutting – it has also become a popular alternative jewelry choice due to its variety of colors available for it.
Chemical Vapor Deposition, or CVD, is the go-to process for producing moissanite. This technique involves heating a mixture of silicon and carbon to an extremely high temperature before introducing the gas into a vacuum chamber to form silicon carbide crystals. CVD offers many advantages over other forms of production methods for creating moissanite.
Synthetic moissanite can also be produced synthetically in a laboratory, providing an economical alternative to natural diamond. With similar chemical composition and color options such as blue, green, red and gray hues it provides the same optical transmittance rating of natural diamond – making synthetic moissanite an excellent candidate for optical coating applications.