E6 Claims Its Groundbreaking Copper-Diamond Heatsinks Will Keep Chips Chill

Element Six (E6), a subsidiary of the ever-dominant De Beers Group, just put out a press release unveiling its new "Copper Diamond Composite Material" (Cu-Diamond composite), a material it claims can revolutionize cooling solutions for high-performance computing (HPC) chips and GaN RF devices. This shiny innovation promises high thermal and electrical conductivity while also being—according to E6—a "cost-effective solution."

So, why copper and diamond? Copper is already a workhorse for thermal and electrical conductivity, while diamond’s thermal conductivity is practically off the charts, far surpassing copper. By combining these two materials, E6 aims to create a composite with thermal conductivity in the 800 W/mK range. For perspective, the best thermal pastes barely crack 10 W/mK, while more advanced materials like silicon carbide might peak around 200 W/mK. If E6’s claims hold true, this material is a serious leap forward.

What really sets the ...