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.
But here’s where skepticism creeps in, because Diamonds—even industrial ones—aren’t exactly cheap, and E6’s assertion of cost-effectiveness feels like a bold claim coming from a company tied to De Beers. While the material may reduce costs in the long run by improving thermal management, the upfront pricing for this fancy heatsink might make budget-conscious systems engineers wince. For some of the fastest HPC deployments, though, it seems like price is no object, so perhaps it ultimately doesn’t matter.
For those eager to learn more, E6 is showcasing its Cu-Diamond composite at the SPIE Photonics West 2025 conference, which kicks off today in San Francisco and runs until January 30th. It’ll be interesting to see if this innovation lives up to its glittering promise or if it’s just another shiny pitch.