Science and Technology
Context: During her Budget speech, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced the government’s move to focus on lab-grown diamonds.
About Lab Grown Diamonds (LDG):
- Lab grown diamonds are diamonds that are produced using specific technology which mimics the geological processes that grow natural diamonds.
- They are not the same as diamond simulants.
- LDGs are chemically, physically and optically diamond and thus are difficult to identify as lab grown.
- While materials such as Moissanite, Cubic Zirconia (CZ), White Sapphire, YAG, are diamond simulants that simply attempt to look like a diamond, they lack the sparkle and durability of a diamond and are thus easily identifiable.
- However, differentiating between an LDG and an Earth Mined Diamond is hard, with advanced equipment required for the purpose.
Uses of LGDs:
- LDGs are most often used for industrial purposes, in machines and tools.
- Their hardness and extra strength make them ideal for use as cutters.
- Pure synthetic diamonds have high thermal conductivity, but negligible electrical conductivity.
- This combination is invaluable for electronics where such diamonds can be used as a heat spreader for high-power laser diodes, laser arrays and high-power transistors.
- As the Earth’s reserves of natural diamonds are depleted, LDGs are slowly replacing the prized gemstone in the jewellery industry.
Source: Indian Express
Previous Year Questions
Q.1) Which one of the following is the context in which the term “qubit” is mentioned? (2022)
- Cloud Services
- Quantum Computing
- Visible Light Communication Technologies
- Wireless Communication Technologies
Q.2) Consider the following statements:
- Biofilms can form on medical implants within human tissues.
- Biofilms can form on food and food processing surfaces.
- Biofilms can exhibit antibiotic resistance.
Which of the statements given above are correct? (2022)
- 1 and 2 only
- 2 and 3 only
- 1 and 3 only
- 1, 2 and 3
