Double layer interfacial structure of Cr3C2-Cr7C3 in copper/diamond composites for thermal management applications

The engineering of interfaces is a crucial aspect in the development of diamond-copper composite thermal management materials. Diamond is a highly promising filler material with high thermal conductivity, while copper is an excellent thermal conductor among metals. The combination of small-size diamond with copper as a filler for thermal management is of significant interest. However, the non-wetting interface between diamond and copper represents a significant challenge in improving the performance of these materials. This thesis reports the synthesis of Cu/Diamond composites with thermal conductivity >700 W/(m<middle dot>K) using Cr-modified diamond surfaces, which originates from the bilayer interfacial structure (Cr3C2-Cr7C3). The high interfacial thermal conductivity of Cr3C2-Cr7C3 interface structure facilitates phonon transfer across the Cu/diamond interface. The serrated structure of the discontinuous Cr7C3 interface (Diamond-Cr3C2-Cr7C3//Cu) serves to enhance the interfacial thermal conductivity, thereby conferring upon the composite a thermal conductivity of up to 770 W/(m<middle dot>K). When deployed in the context of heat dissipation for low-power memory chips, the temperature can be reduced to 44 degrees C, which represents a 3 degrees C reduction in temperature compared to that observed in the absence of a heat sink.