CVD diamond patents legal action

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

I have been waiting for De Beers to do this. But a US company got in first!

Diamonds.net - WD Sues Diamond Growers over CVD Patents

RAPAPORT... The companies behind WD Lab Grown Diamonds have filed three lawsuits against competitors, accusing them of infringing patents for diamond synthesis and treatment. The Carnegie Institution of Washington, a science organization, and M7D Corporation, which trades as WD Lab Grown...

www.diamonds.net

One of the complaints targets Pure Grown Diamonds (PGD) and IIa Technologies, which produces CVD goods for PGD. A second filing is against Mahendra Brothers, a De Beers sightholder, and its affiliate, Fenix Diamonds. The third suit takes aim at Altr, another lab-grown supplier, and its owner, R.A. Riam.

 

[Texas Leaguer]

Well, cost of litigation may keep synthetic prices from falling as fast as they otherwise would!

 

[OoohShiny]

Thank you for the link, Garry

I didn't realise there was different versions of CVD!

Carnegie invented and patented a version of CVD, known as microwave-plasma CVD (MPCVD), that can create a purer diamond because it doesn’t involve electrodes, which often contaminate the product, according to the lawsuits. It also patented a method for enhancing a stone’s visual characteristics through heat treatment at high pressure and temperature. M7D holds the license to both patents, the three similar lawsuits continued.]/quote]

That also seems to be saying Carnegie invented the use of HPHT after CVD growth?

I'm wondering if suing will have an effect in the long-term - if companies in China are ignoring copyright, it seems very hard to actually enforce action against them, despite the Chinese government apparently cracking down (a bit? lol) on such things. IIRC BMW attempted to sue one of the Chinese car makers who produce what is pretty much an identical vehicle to the X5, but China went "Hmmm.... Nah."

 

[Texas Leaguer]

Thank you for the link, Garry

I didn't realise there was different versions of CVD!



That also seems to be saying Carnegie invented the use of HPHT after CVD growth?

I'm wondering if suing will have an effect in the long-term - if companies in China are ignoring copyright, it seems very hard to actually enforce action against them, despite the Chinese government apparently cracking down (a bit? lol) on such things. IIRC BMW attempted to sue one of the Chinese car makers who produce what is pretty much an identical vehicle to the X5, but China went "Hmmm.... Nah."

Notwithstanding my somewhat facetious statement earlier, it will be expensive and difficult to enforce some of these patents, especially as you point out, in a market where production is likely to ramp up in a big way. If enforcement is not successful, production volume will increase and costs will fall even more rapidly.

 

[Karl_K]

Thank you for the link, Garry

I didn't realise there was different versions of CVD!

There are many different kinds and variations.
3 major groups differ on how they vaporize the material to be deposited.

Laser - very expensive, very finicky and power and cooling hungry. Cleanest deposits are possible.

Microwave - mid range cost and the cheapest way to create fairly clean material to lay down. Mid range power usage.

Electric arc - cheapest but very dirty as it produces carbon dust and other particles so not suitable for making gem grade diamonds.