Element Six (E6), a member of the De Beers Group based in Oxford, UK, has been selected to lead a program under the Ultra-Wide BandGap Semiconductors (UWBGS) initiative by the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). The program aims to develop advanced ultra-wide bandgap (UWBG) materials, which are crucial for next-generation semiconductor technologies used in high-power and high-frequency applications, as well as extreme environment electronics. Element Six will leverage its expertise in chemical vapor deposition (CVD) polycrystalline and single crystal diamond synthesis to produce 4-inch device-grade single crystal diamond substrates, which are expected to enhance semiconductor device performance.
Element Six’s participation in the UWBGS program is supported by a global collaboration with partners such as Raytheon, Stanford University, and Orbray, among others. These collaborations are expected to advance the development of UWBG semiconductors, pushing the boundaries of diamond innovation. Element Six’s work in this area builds on its previous contributions to critical technologies, including the CERN Large Hadron Collider and high-voltage diamond-based Schottky diodes.
• Element Six leads DARPA’s UWBGS program for next-gen semiconductor technologies.
• Focus on developing 4-inch single crystal diamond substrates for high-power devices.
• Global collaboration includes partners like Raytheon, Stanford, and Orbray.
• Program to advance ultra-wide bandgap semiconductors for high-performance applications.
“We are proud to work alongside the other DARPA UWBGS program partners,” said Prof. Daniel Twitchen, Chief Technologist at Element Six. “Technology breakthroughs in UWBGS will help unlock another 70 years of positive disruption in the semiconductor industry.”
