HKU's Diamond Membranes Shatter Industry Barriers

The research team led by Professor Zhiqin Chu, Associate Professor in the Department of Electrical & Electronic Engineering, and Professor Yuan Lin, Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering at the University of Hong Kong (HKU), has developed a novel technique called ‘Edge-Exposed Exfoliation.' This breakthrough shatters decades-old manufacturing bottlenecks in materials science and the semiconductor industry, successfully enabling mass-production of large-area, flexible diamond membranes with ultra-flat surfaces at low-cost and high-efficiency. This research has been published in the prestigious international journal Nature, and has received numerous international honors, including the 'Falling Walls Science Breakthroughs of the Year' from the ‘Falling Walls Foundation 2025' and a 'Gold Medal' at the 'International Exhibition of Inventions of Geneva', marking a significant step in the commercialisation of diamond semiconductor technology.

HKU's Revolutionary Diamond Membranes

Diamond is not only a precious gemstone but is also regarded as the 'ultimate semiconductor material.' Its exceptional thermal conductivity and extremely high carrier mobility make it an ideal semiconductor. However, traditional methods of synthesising diamond membranes are typically costly, slow, and limited in size, with insufficient surface flatness, severely constraining their commercial applications and industry development. The HKU team has revolutionised the production process of high-quality diamond membranes. This technology can produce 2-inch diamond wafers in just 10 seconds, with production costs at 1/1000th of previous methods.

Compared to previous expensive, time-consuming, and non-scalable processes, this technology is ready for immediate industrial-grade speed and scalability, while ensuring products have atomically flawless surfaces and excellent flexibility. This foundation sets the stage for precision manufacturing at the micro-nano level and applications in flexible electronics, moving diamond from the lab to widespread applications, including in high-power electronics, quantum technologies, advanced RF systems, and optoelectronics.

Diamond Membrane Technology

Diamond Membrane Technology

• Cost-effective – Production costs have reduced to 1/1000th of previous technologies, transforming diamond from an expensive laboratory material into an affordable industrial-grade component.

• High-Speed, Scalable Industrial Process – The process is rapid, stable, and scalable, ready for immediate industrialisation and advancing the technology from the lab to the market.

• Flawless, Flexible, Ultra-Flat Product Characteristics – The resulting diamond membranes are flawless, flexible, featuring extremely flat surfaces, meeting the stringent requirements of high-precision optoelectronic and semiconductor processes.

Diamond Membrane Technology

Prof. Zhiqin Chu and Prof

Professor Chu stated, ‘The company we founded, DiamNEX, is dedicated to promoting the research, production, and commercialisation of diamond membrane materials. Our technology and development prospects have received high recognition in the market. The company successfully completed over 10 million in angel round financing last year and is currently focused on advancing its industrialisation plans. We look forward to collaborating with academic and industry partners to bring this revolutionary product to market and accelerate the arrival of diamond era.'

Hong Kong Customs detects two dangerous drugs cases and seizes suspected drugs worth about $3.4 million

Hong Kong Customs detected two dangerous drugs cases in Hong Kong International Airport and Yau Ma Tei respectively on April 1 and yesterday (April 2), and seized a total of about 3.1 kilograms of suspected ketamine, about 1.7 kilograms of suspected cocaine and about 1.7 kilograms of suspected methamphetamine with a total estimated market value of about $3.4 million. Two persons suspected to be connected with the cases were arrested.

In the first case, a 43-year-old male passenger arrived in Hong Kong from Bangkok, Thailand on April 1. During customs clearance, Customs officers found about 3.1 kilograms of suspected ketamine concealed inside food packaging in his baggage. The man was subsequently arrested.

In the second case, during an anti-narcotics operation conducted in Yau Ma Tei on April 2, Customs officers intercepted a 41-year-old man and later escorted him to a hotel room nearby for a search and seized about 1.7 kilograms of suspected cocaine, about 1.7 kilograms of suspected methamphetamine, a drug inhaling apparatus and a batch of drug packaging paraphernalia. The man was subsequently arrested.

The arrested persons have been charged with one count of trafficking in a dangerous drug respectively and will appear at the Kwun Tong Magistrates' Courts tomorrow (April 4).

Customs will continue to step up enforcement against drug trafficking activities through intelligence analysis. The department also reminds members of the public to stay alert and not to participate in drug trafficking activities for monetary return. They must not accept hiring or delegation from another party to carry controlled items into and out of Hong Kong. They are also reminded not to carry unknown items for other people, nor to release their personal data or home address to others for receiving parcels or goods.

Customs will continue to apply a risk assessment approach and focus on selecting passengers from high-risk regions for clearance to combat transnational drug trafficking activities.

Under the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance, trafficking in a dangerous drug is a serious offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $5 million and life imprisonment.

Members of the public may report any suspected drug trafficking activities to Customs' 24-hour hotline 182 8080 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002).

Hong Kong Customs detects two dangerous drugs cases and seizes suspected drugs worth about $3.4 million Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Hong Kong Customs detects two dangerous drugs cases and seizes suspected drugs worth about $3.4 million Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Hong Kong Customs detects two dangerous drugs cases and seizes suspected drugs worth about $3.4 million Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases