Synthesis and processing of novel phase of carbon (Q-carbon)
Using processes disclosed herein, materials and structures are created and used. For example, processes can include melting boron nitride or amorphous carbon into an undercooled state followed by quenching. Exemplary new materials disclosed herein can be ferromagnetic and/or harder than diamond. Materials disclosed herein may include dopants in concentrations exceeding thermodynamic solubility limits. A novel phase of solid carbon has structure different than diamond and graphite.
1. A phase of carbon that has a structure comprising a mixture of four-fold sp 3 bonded carbon and three-fold sp 2 bonded carbon with a relative fraction of four-fold sp 3 bonded carbon between 70% and 85% of the mixture, wherein the phase of carbon is a semiconductor or metallic depending on a quenching rate from an undercooled state.