Synthetic diamond is a highly durable, rigid, and thermally conductive material, making it an ideal candidate for both quantum and conventional electronics. It is chemically stable and has excellent properties for these applications. However, there’s a significant challenge: diamonds can only grow on other diamonds.

This characteristic, known as homoepitaxy, means that integrating diamonds into technologies like quantum computers, sensors, cellphones, and other devices requires either sacrificing its full potential or relying on large, expensive pieces of diamond.