Could a diamond wafer as wide as a basketball be China’s trump card in AI race?

China is rapidly advancing in the production of ultra-large synthetic diamonds, a development that could significantly impact the global artificial intelligence race. These diamonds are increasingly viewed as critical components for dissipating the intense heat generated by high-performance semiconductors, a growing challenge as chip performance reaches its physical limits.

The Harbin Institute of Technology (HIT) has showcased its capabilities by growing diamonds in its laboratory, with technology that theoretically allows for the production of high-purity, single-crystal diamonds of any size. This microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition (MPCVD) process deposits carbon atoms layer by layer onto a diamond seed crystal in an ultra-clean environment.

Breakthroughs in growing large single-crystal diamonds could provide China with an unexpected advantage in the development of next-generation AI hardware. As the demand for computing power escalates, the ability to manage heat effectively becomes paramount for semiconductor performance.

The strategic importance of this technology was underscored by a meeting in Beijing between Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang and Zhu Yanhui, founder of Chaoying Diamond Technology, a supplier of diamond technology application materials. This interaction highlights the global interest and potential collaborations in this cutting-edge field.