A NOVEL FABRICATION METHOD FOR DIAMOND COMPOSITES

DIAMOND AND COPPER ARE UNIQUE IN THEIR ABILITY TO EFFICIENTLY CONDUCT HEAT, MAKING THEM PREMIER MATERIALS FOR ELECTRONIC APPLICATIONS FOR WHICH HEAT REMOVAL IS CRITICAL TO SYSTEM PERFORMANCE. DIFFERENCES IN THEIR OTHER PROPERTIES MAKE IT ATTRACTIVE TO COMBINE THESE TWO MATERIALS INTO A DIAMOND/COPPER COMPOSITE THAT HAS IMPROVED PROPERTIES OVER THOSE OF COPPER ALONE. DIAMONDS OFFER A COST-EFFECTIVE MEANS OF IMPROVING THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY, REDUCING WEIGHTS, AND INCREASING THE MAXIMUM USE TEMPERATURE OF COPPER. IN THIS PHASE I PROJECT, THE FEASIBILITY OF FABRICATING NEAR NET SHAPES OF DIAMOND/COPPER COMPOSITES IS BEING INVESTIGATED. THE THERMAL AND MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF THE RESULTING COMPOSITES ARE BEING DETERMINED FOR EVALUATION OF THE MATERIAL'S UTILITY IN ELECTRONIC AND SPACE THERMAL MANAGEMENT APPLICATIONS. IN PHASE II, THE FABRICATION PROCESS WILL BE OPTIMIZED, AND PROTOTYPE HEAT SINKS WILL BE PRODUCED.