‘Q-carbon’ may offer quick route to diamonds

New phase of element joins diamond, graphite in exclusive club, scientists claim

crystal specks

CRYSTAL GROWTH  A new way to make tiny specks of diamond uses a laser to convert carbon into “Q-carbon,” from which seeds of crystal can grow on sapphire, as shown here in this electron micrograph.

J. Narayan and A. Bhaumik/Journal of Applied Physics 2015

A glow-in-the dark, magnetic, stronger-than-diamond material might be a bizarre new form of carbon.