The recipe for the microwave plasma CVD technique (MPCVD) used by Mao's team is as follows: Select a diamond seed crystal as the substrate, and place it in a chamber. Introduce methane (CH4--one part carbon to four parts hydrogen) into the chamber. Using microwaves, heat the methane so that the carbon separates from the hydrogen.
皇天不負苦心人，毛河光團隊研發的「單晶外延法」，又稱為「微波漿氣體堆積法」：先選定一顆母石（鑽石）做為基底，同樣使用微波爐加熱原理，讓甲烷（CH4）分解，去掉氫，甲烷中與鑽石一樣的碳分子有了母石做「榜樣」，也會學著整齊排列，並依附、累積到母石上。