Q-carbon

Using laser beams similar to what doctors use for laser eye procedures, the researchers raised and rapidly cooled the temperature of the amorphous carbon, leading to the discovery of the Q-carbon that has a molecular structure stronger than a common crystal.

Q-carbon is ferromagnetic, something no other phase of carbon is known to be, and it even glows when exposed to energy. But, exciting as these things are, the most proximate application for Q-carbon is in back-conversion to more natural carbon crystals: With a simple melting process, Q-carbon can be turned to diamond under forgiving conditions.

To make the boron-doped Q-carbon, the researchers coat a substrate with a mixture of amorphous carbon and boron.