{"id":517,"date":"2022-11-28T12:53:08","date_gmt":"2022-11-28T17:53:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mse.ncsu.edu\/narayan\/?page_id=517"},"modified":"2025-09-08T14:53:52","modified_gmt":"2025-09-08T18:53:52","slug":"q-carbon-q-silicon-discovery","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/mse.ncsu.edu\/narayan\/q-carbon-q-silicon-discovery\/","title":{"rendered":"Q-carbon & Q-silicon"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n\n
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Breakthroughs in Novel Materials<\/h2>\n

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Laser-driven, wafer-scale methods enable ultra-hard coatings, diamond growth at ambient conditions, room-temperature ferromagnetism, and high-Tc superconductivity in B-doped Q-carbon: opening paths to next-gen electronics, spintronics, quantum devices, and sensors.<\/p>\n\n\n <\/div>\n\n\n <\/div>\n \n\n\n

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three discoveries<\/h2>\n <\/div>\n
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Q-carbon<\/h3>\n \n\n \n\t \t

In 2015, we discovered a new carbon phase formed by nanosecond laser melting and rapid quenching, converted directly to diamond nanostructures at room temperature\/pressure; reported ferromagnetism and exceptional hardness; a platform for wafer-scale diamond growth.<\/p>\n\t \t \n

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Q-BN<\/h3>\n \n\n \n\t \t

Direct conversion of h-BN \u2192 Q-BN and to c-BN at ambient conditions, enabling c-BN\/diamond heterostructures.<\/p>\n\t \t \n <\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n\n\n

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Q-silicon<\/h3>\n \n\n \n\t \t

Laser-processed silicon phase with room-temperature ferromagnetism; promising for spintronics\/quantum applications.<\/p>\n\t \t \n <\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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How it works<\/p>\n

Ultrafast laser processing \u2192 rapid quench<\/strong> locks in non-equilibrium Q-phases (Q-carbon, Q-BN, Q-Si); enables high dopant levels beyond equilibrium solubility; supports wafer-scale patterning and device integration on Si(100).<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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Featured publication<\/h2>\n <\/div>\n
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Q-carbon Harder Than Diamond<\/h3>\n \n\n \n\t \t

Shows laser-formed Q-carbon with hardness exceeding diamond and pathways to diamond nano\/microstructures at ambient conditions.<\/p>\n\t \t \n

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\n Selected Publications\n <\/h2>\n