Watch crystal manufacturing method

Abstract

This disclosure relates to a method for manufacturing diamond watch crystals using multiple techniques to produce the final product. The method of this disclosure begins with a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process using high-purity graphite as a carbon source substrate. In this step, the use of gases, temperatures, and energy sources is further implemented to facilitate the formation of a diamond layer on the substrate. The disclosure provides alternative energy sources that can be used in CVA, including microwave plasma, DC plasma, inductively coupled plasma, and hot filament methods. The method of this disclosure further implements a high-pressure, high-temperature step following the CVA process. These two steps are repeated, with the first subsequent step involving seed diamond. The final high-pressure, high-temperature step is used to remove impurities prior to cutting and polishing.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention generally relates to the production of diamonds. More specifically, but not limited thereto, it relates to a method of manufacturing a watch crystal using multiple techniques to provide the manufacture of a watch crystal.

Background Art

[0002] The formation of synthetic diamonds can be carried out using two processes known as chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and high pressure high temperature (HPHT). The chemical vapor deposition process is initiated using a small seed diamond, which is a small piece of natural diamond capable of withstanding both extreme temperature and pressure conditions. Although a number of diamond pieces can be used as seed diamonds, it is common to start the process with a strong and high-quality diamond piece, which can be important in the synthetic diamond production process. In the CVD process, the seed diamond is placed inside a vacuum chamber, which is then filled with a gas rich in carbon. After filling the vacuum chamber with the carbon-containing gas, the chamber is heated to a temperature exceeding 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit. Thereafter, the gas is transformed into a plasma by the extreme heat. The plasma builds up a layer of diamond, and at the end of the process, a complete diamond is formed that can be processed in the same way as a naturally mined diamond rough.

[0003] The CVD process often yields diamonds of better quality than those produced from naturally sourced diamonds. Another method for creating synthetic diamonds is called the high-pressure, high-temperature process. In this process, a pure carbon source is subjected to high pressure and high temperature. The extreme heat and strong pressure cause the carbon to crystallize, resulting in the formation of a new diamond. As is well known to those skilled in the art, watch crystals (also known as faces) for luxury brands are often made from sapphire. Sapphire is sometimes preferred as a material for watch crystals because it is durable and provides a desirable aesthetic from a cosmetic standpoint in luxury watches. While sapphire is durable, diamonds are far more scratch-resistant and can withstand even greater pressure.

[0004] Therefore, there is a need for a watch crystal manufacturing method that utilizes a combination of diamond manufacturing technologies to facilitate the successful production of diamond watch crystals. [Overview of the Initiative]

[0005] The object of the present invention is to provide a method for producing watch crystals from a diamond growth process, which employs the use of a chemical vapor deposition process in the initial steps.

[0006] Another object of the present invention is to provide a method for growing diamonds for use in watch crystals, wherein a second step of the present invention involves exposing the diamond plate produced in the initial step to a high-pressure, high-temperature environment.

[0007] A further object of the present invention is to provide a method for producing watch crystals from a diamond growth process, which, as an additional step of the present invention, includes repeating the first two steps of the method of the present invention.

[0008] Another objective of the present invention is to provide a method for growing diamonds for use as watch crystals, and further steps of the method of the present invention involve the use of microwave plasma-assisted chemical vapor deposition.

[0009] Another object of the present invention is to provide a method for producing watch crystals from a diamond growth process, which may alternatively involve a step incorporating hot filament chemical vapor deposition.

[0010] An additional object of the present invention is to provide a method for growing diamonds for use as watch crystals, wherein the method of the present invention may further utilize a step of inductively coupled plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition.

[0011] A further object of the present invention is to provide a method for producing watch crystals from a diamond growth process, the method of the present invention further includes an alternative step utilizing a DC plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition method.

[0012] To achieve the above-mentioned and related objectives, the present invention may be embodied in the forms shown in the accompanying drawings. Note that the drawings are illustrative only. Various modifications are envisioned as constituting part of the present invention, and their scope is limited solely by the claims.

[0013] A more complete understanding of the present invention can be obtained from the following embodiments for carrying out the invention and the appended claims, which are referenced together with the drawings attached herein. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0014] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a flowchart of the method of the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0015] Referring here to the drawings attached to this specification, the various elements shown in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, and the same elements are indicated by the same reference numeral in each figure and each view. A method for manufacturing a watch crystal 100 constructed according to the principles of the present invention is shown.

[0016] One embodiment of the present invention is described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings. Those skilled in the art will understand that the detailed description herein relating to these drawings is for illustrative purposes only, and that many alternative embodiments are conceivable within the scope of the invention. While given as examples, and not limiting, those skilled in the art, having learned from the teachings of the invention, will recognize numerous alternative and appropriate approaches to implement the functionalities of the details described herein, not limited to specific implementation choices within the embodiments described herein, depending on the needs of a particular application. Various modifications and embodiments are included within the scope of the invention.

[0017] It should be further understood that the present invention is not limited to the specific methodologies, materials, uses, and applications described herein, and that these may be modified. Furthermore, it should be understood that the terms used herein are used solely for the purpose of describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. It should be noted that the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” used herein and in the claims include the plural form unless explicitly limited in context. Thus, for example, a reference to “an element” refers to one or more elements, including their equivalents known to those skilled in the art. All conjunctions used should be interpreted in their most inclusive sense. Thus, the word “or” should be understood to mean a logical “or” rather than an exclusive “or” unless explicitly limited in context. Structures described herein should also be understood to refer to functional equivalents of the structures. Expressions that can be interpreted as representing approximations should be understood as such unless explicitly indicated otherwise in context.

[0018] References to "one embodiment," "a certain embodiment," "exemplary embodiment," etc., indicate that an embodiment may include certain features, structures, or characteristics, but not all embodiments necessarily include those specific features, structures, or characteristics.

[0019] Referring particularly to the attached drawings, a flowchart illustrates the method for manufacturing watch crystal 100. Within the scope of the present invention, it should be understood that diamond crystals from the process of the present invention can be manufactured in alternative sizes, shapes, and thicknesses. Step 101 is carried out by selecting the starting material. Within the scope of the present invention, it should be understood that ultra-high purity gases, as well as high-purity graphite for the carbon source, are employed. Gases used in preferred embodiments of the present invention are hydrogen and methane. Within the scope of the present invention, it should be understood that alternative gases may also be used to achieve the desired results. Furthermore, within the scope of the present invention, it is assumed that alternative materials may be used in addition to or in combination with graphite as a carbon source. Step 103 is initiated by starting the chemical vapor deposition process. The chemical vapor deposition process is used to grow thin diamond plates of a preferred thickness of 2 to 4 millimeters. Within the scope of the present invention, it should be understood that diamond plates can be manufactured in alternative thicknesses. Step 105 is carried out by placing the graphite in a vacuum chamber and filling the vacuum chamber with the mixture of the gases. Step 107 is carried out by heating the vacuum chamber to a temperature of 800 to 1,000°C.

[0020] In step 109, the material in the vacuum chamber is exposed to an energy source, which dissociates gas molecules and forms a diamond layer on the graphite substrate. Within this energy range, it is assumed that alternative energy sources or alternative substrate materials may be used. For example, one preferred energy source in the present invention is microwave plasma, to which the material in the chamber is exposed. Using this technique, microwaves are used to generate plasma, which decomposes a gas mixture containing carbon and hydrogen. The plasma provides sufficient energy to promote the growth of diamond crystals on the substrate. Alternatively, within the scope of the present invention, it is assumed that inductively coupled plasma may be used as an energy source, and this technique generates inductively coupled plasma to form a high-energy plasma that promotes the growth of diamond crystals. Another possible energy source is a DC plasma energy source. DC plasma technology is used to decompose a gas mixture containing carbon and hydrogen and generate a plasma that promotes the growth of diamond crystals on the substrate. Finally, within the scope of the present invention, the hot filament method may be used as an energy source. In this technology, a tungsten filament is heated to a high temperature, resulting in the generation of plasma in a vacuum chamber. The plasma decomposes a gas mixture, and the resulting carbon atoms are deposited on the substrate, where the growth of a diamond crystal occurs. Within the scope of the present invention, it is further envisioned that alternative forms of chemical vapor deposition processes or plasma-assisted techniques may be used. These may include, but are not limited to, thermochemical vapor deposition, plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition, hot-wire chemical vapor deposition, and ultra-high vacuum chemical vapor deposition.

[0021] In step 111, steps 107 and 109 are repeated until the desired thickness of the diamond plate is obtained. In step 113, the high-pressure, high-temperature process is initiated. In step 115, the diamond plate produced in step 111 is placed in a high-pressure chamber along with a small seed diamond. In step 117, the chamber is heated to a temperature in the range of 1,500 to 2,000°C. Furthermore, in this step, up to 70,000 atmospheres of pressure are applied to the diamond plate in the chamber. This step rearranges the carbon atoms in the diamond plate, forming a diamond crystal of the desired dimensions. In step 119, steps 103 through 117 are repeated to obtain a diamond crystal of the desired thickness and quality. In preferred embodiments of the present invention, both chemical vapor deposition and high-pressure, high-temperature processes are used, but it should be understood that within the scope of the invention, the high-pressure, high-temperature process is not necessarily required and may depend on the purity of the starting carbon source material. Furthermore, it should be understood that within the scope of the invention, the high-pressure, high-temperature process can be used independently of the chemical vapor deposition process. It should be understood that these steps can be repeated for an alternative number of times. In step 121, the diamond plate produced by the method of the present invention is subjected to the final high-pressure, high-temperature step described in step 117. This final high-pressure, high-temperature, and high-pressure treatment serves to remove defects and / or impurities and improve the quality of the final diamond crystal. In step 123, the diamond crystal is subjected to cutting and polishing, and the diamond crystal is cut and polished to the desired dimensions and shape.

[0022] In the modes for carrying out the prior invention, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which constitute part of this specification, illustrating specific embodiments that can carry out the invention. These embodiments and their variations are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to carry out the invention. It should be understood that there may be other suitable embodiments available to those skilled in the art, and that logical modifications may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. This description may omit certain information that is well known to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the modes for carrying out the prior invention are not intended to be limited to the specific embodiments shown herein, but rather to include alternatives, modifications and equivalents that can reasonably be included in the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing a diamond watch crystal, wherein the method is A step of selecting a starting material, wherein the starting material consists of a high-purity gas and a high-purity carbon source substrate for generating a gas mixture, A step of initiating a chemical vapor deposition process, wherein the chemical vapor deposition process includes the use of a vacuum chamber, The steps include placing the substrate inside the vacuum chamber, The steps include filling the vacuum chamber with the high-purity gas, The steps include heating the vacuum chamber, The steps include: exposing the initial material, which is placed in the vacuum chamber, to an energy source; The steps include growing a diamond plate on the substrate to a target thickness, The step of placing the diamond plate in a high-pressure chamber, wherein the diamond plate is placed in the high-pressure chamber together with a seed diamond in order to perform a high-pressure, high-temperature process, A step of heating the high-pressure chamber, wherein the high-pressure chamber is heated to approximately 1500 to 2000°C, A step of applying pressure to the high-pressure chamber, wherein a maximum pressure of 70,000 atmospheres is applied to the high-pressure chamber, The process involves repeating the chemical vapor deposition process and the high-pressure, high-temperature process to complete the production of the diamond crystal, and A step of cutting and polishing the diamond plate, comprising the step of cutting and polishing the diamond plate to a desired size, A method that includes this.

2. The method for manufacturing a diamond watch crystal according to claim 1, wherein the energy source comprises microwaves for generating plasma to decompose the gas mixture placed in the vacuum chamber.

3. The method for manufacturing a diamond watch crystal according to claim 1, wherein the energy source consists of direct current, and the direct current is used to generate a plasma that decomposes the gas mixture in the vacuum chamber.

4. A method for manufacturing a diamond watch crystal according to claim 1, wherein the energy source consists of an inductively coupled plasma, and the inductively coupled plasma is used to promote the growth of the diamond crystal.

5. A method for manufacturing a diamond watch crystal according to claim 1, wherein the energy source consists of a tungsten filament, and the tungsten filament is heated to generate a plasma having the function of decomposing the gas mixture in the vacuum chamber.

6. A method for producing a diamond watch crystal according to claim 2, wherein the gas mixture comprises hydrogen and methane.

7. A method for producing a diamond watch crystal according to claim 6, further comprising the step of repeating at least one complete cycle of a chemical vapor deposition process and a high-temperature, high-pressure process.

8. The method for manufacturing a diamond watch crystal according to claim 7, wherein the vacuum chamber is heated to a temperature of 800 to 1,000°C.

9. A method for producing a diamond watch crystal according to claim 8, further comprising the step of performing a final high-pressure, high-temperature process, wherein the final high-pressure, high-temperature process functions to remove impurities from the diamond watch crystal.

10. A method for manufacturing a diamond watch crystal, wherein the method is A step of selecting a starting material, wherein the starting material consists of a high-purity gas and a high-purity carbon source substrate for generating a gas mixture, A step of initiating a chemical vapor deposition process, wherein the chemical vapor deposition process includes the use of a vacuum chamber, The steps include placing the substrate inside the vacuum chamber, The steps include filling the vacuum chamber with the high-purity gas, The steps include heating the vacuum chamber, The steps include: exposing the initial material, which is placed in the vacuum chamber, to an energy source, The steps include growing a diamond plate on the substrate to a target thickness, A method that includes this.

11. The method for manufacturing a diamond watch crystal according to claim 10, wherein the energy source consists of direct current, and the direct current is used to generate a plasma that decomposes the gas mixture in the vacuum chamber.

12. A method for manufacturing a diamond watch crystal according to claim 10, wherein the energy source consists of an inductively coupled plasma, and the inductively coupled plasma is used to promote the growth of the diamond crystal.

13. A method for manufacturing a diamond watch crystal according to claim 10, wherein the energy source comprises a tungsten filament, the tungsten filament being heated to generate a plasma having the function of decomposing the gas mixture in the vacuum chamber.

14. The method for manufacturing a diamond watch crystal according to claim 10, wherein the energy source comprises microwaves that generate a plasma for decomposing the gas mixture placed in the vacuum chamber.

15. A method for manufacturing a diamond watch crystal, wherein the method is A step of placing a diamond plate in a high-pressure chamber, wherein the diamond plate is placed in the high-pressure chamber together with a seed diamond in order to carry out a high-pressure, high-temperature process, A step of heating the high-pressure chamber, wherein the high-pressure chamber is heated to approximately 1500 to 2000°C, A step of applying pressure to the high-pressure chamber, wherein a maximum pressure of 70,000 atmospheres is applied to the high-pressure chamber, The steps include repeating the high-pressure, high-temperature process for the final production of the diamond crystal, and A step of cutting and polishing the diamond plate, wherein the diamond plate is cut to a desired size and polished to complete the formation of a watch crystal, A method that includes this.

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