News: Suppliers
22 January 2025
Element Six unveils copper diamond composite to power advanced semiconductor devices
At Photonics West 2025 in Santa Clara, CA, USA (25–30 January), chemical vapor deposition (CVD)-based synthetic diamond materials firm Element Six of Oxford, UK (E6, part of the De Beers Group) is launching an innovative Cu-diamond product, a copper-plated diamond composite material that has high thermal and electrical conductivity. Designed to address the increasingly critical thermal management challenges in advanced semiconductor devices, the cost-effective solution is said to enable greater performance and reliability for applications such as AI, high-performance computing (HPC), and gallium arsenide (GaN) RF devices.
As semiconductor devices have grown larger and more powerful, managing heat dissipation has become a significant challenge for the industry, notes E6. More than 50% of all electronic device failures are heat-related, and data centers, which now consume 3.7% of total US power demand, are predicted to reach 10% by 2029. As a result, thermal management innovation is critical to enabling next-generation performance and energy efficiency.
“Thermal management for semiconductor devices remains a significant challenge as power levels increase and packaging continues to advance,” notes chief technologist Daniel Twitchen. “Our copper diamond composite addresses these challenges by offering a scalable and affordable solution for next-generation AI and HPC devices,” he adds. “This innovation empowers our customers to enhance performance and reliability, while reducing cooling costs.”
E6’s new copper diamond composite enables thermal conductivity in the 800W/mK range, optimized for high-demand applications. It provides high performance at a lower cost to facilitate widespread adoption and can be manufactured in complex shapes, allowing seamless integration into diverse 2.5/3D advanced packaging configurations, says E6.
“Through the unmatched thermal conductivity and durability of diamond-based composites, we are enabling a new era of high-performance devices, not only addressing today’s challenges but also laying the groundwork for future advancements,” says Twitchen.
During Photonics West, Element Six is showcasing the new copper diamond composite in booth #5110, offering live demonstrations and expert insights.
Element Six to lead US DARPA-funded Ultra-Wide BandGap Semiconductors program
Element Six and Orbray partner to deliver high-quality wafer-scale single-crystal synthetic diamond
