Methods of manufacturing diamond capsules

摘要

Capsules and similar objects are made from materials having diamond (sp3) lattice structures, including diamond materials in synthetic crystalline, polycrystalline (ordered or disordered), nanocrystalline and amorphous forms. The capsules generally include a hollow shell made of a diamond material that defines an interior region that may be empty or that may contain a fluid or solid material. Some of the capsules include access ports that can be used to fill the capsule with a fluid. Capsules and similar structures can be manufactured by growing diamond on suitably shaped substrates. In some of these methods, diamond shell sections are grown on substrates, then joined together. In other methods, a nearly complete diamond shell is grown around a form substrate, and the substrate can be removed through a relatively small opening in the shell.

主权项

1. A method for making a capsule, the method comprising:
growing a substantially spherical shell of a diamond lattice material over a spherical form substrate such that the shell covers all of the form substrate; after growing the substantially spherical shell:
forming an opening through the shell, andremoving the form substrate through the opening; and filling the capsule with a fluid via the opening, wherein filling the capsule includes:
placing the capsule into an environment containing the fluid at a high pressure; andallowing a pressure equilibrium to be reached between the capsule and the environment; and after the pressure equilibrium is reached, filling in the opening while maintaining the environment at a lower pressure than the high pressure.