Applications
Diamond earns its place where conventional materials have run out of headroom: too much heat in too little area, beams that destroy ordinary optics, wear that stops the line.
01 / 06
Lasers and photonics
The problem
A laser diode can turn roughly half of its input power into heat within a region only a few hundred micrometres across. A higher junction temperature shifts its wavelength and can shorten its service life.
What diamond does
A diamond submount directly under the chip spreads that heat before it reaches the copper, lowering the junction temperature and helping to keep the wavelength stable.
Typical parts
- 01Diode laser and bar submounts
- 02Fibre-laser pump modules
- 03VCSEL array spreaders
02 / 06
RF and defence electronics
The problem
GaN transistors deliver high power from very small gates, and the heat concentrates in hot spots only microns across.
What diamond does
Diamond under the die spreads heat sideways before it enters the package, allowing more output power or a longer service life at the same power.
Typical parts
- 01GaN HEMT amplifier spreaders
- 02Radar T/R module submounts
- 03Satellite communication amplifiers
03 / 06
Power electronics
The problem
SiC and GaN modules switch more power in less area, and the electrically insulating layer under the die becomes the thermal bottleneck.
What diamond does
Diamond is both an electrical insulator and the best thermal conductor known, so it can replace or reinforce ceramic substrates where the heat flux is highest.
Typical parts
- 01SiC and GaN module spreaders
- 02EV traction inverter substrates
- 03Fast-charger power stages
04 / 06
AI and data centres
The problem
Leading liquid-cooled AI accelerators can draw more than a kilowatt per module, while optical transceivers pack lasers into tight spaces. Hot spots can limit clock speed and throughput.
What diamond does
Diamond spreaders between the die and the cold plate even out hot spots, and diamond submounts keep transceiver lasers on wavelength.
Typical parts
- 01Accelerator hot-spot spreaders
- 02Optical transceiver submounts
- 03Co-packaged optics
05 / 06
Optics and science
The problem
High-power lasers, gyrotrons and X-ray beams heat and damage conventional window materials such as ZnSe, sapphire or beryllium.
What diamond does
Diamond transmits across an exceptionally wide band, conducts heat away from the beam footprint and withstands thermal shock and radiation.
Typical parts
- 01CO₂ laser windows
- 02Gyrotron and plasma windows
- 03X-ray and detector windows
06 / 06
Industrial wear
The problem
Wire dies, dressers and nozzles wear, drift out of tolerance and stop the line for replacement.
What diamond does
Diamond combines exceptional hardness, low friction and high chemical resistance, so parts can retain their dimensions substantially longer than carbide in suitable abrasive and non-ferrous applications.
Typical parts
- 01Wire-drawing dies and guides
- 02Dressers and cutting edges
- 03Nozzles and seals
Don’t see your application?
If heat flux, optical power or wear is the limit, diamond may be the answer. Describe the problem and we’ll tell you honestly whether it fits.