Diamond/non-diamond materials with enhanced thermal conductivity

摘要

The present invention comprises an article formed from a plurality of non-diamond particles compatible with diamond deposition preformed into a desired shape. Each of the particles has first surface regions in contact with immediately adjacent other ones of the particles, and second surface regions spaced apart from the immediately adjacent other ones of said particles to define boundaries of inter-particle voids between the immediately adjacent ones of the particles. The voids are infiltrated with high thermal conductivity CVD diamond material continuously coating the second surface regions of the particles and comprising merged growth fronts from the second surface regions of individual immediately adjacent ones of the particles into the inter- particle voids. The high thermal conductivity CVD diamond material has an average crystallite size greater than about 15 microns, an intensity ratio of diamond- Raman-peak-to- photoluminescence background intensity greater than about 20, a maximum intensity of the diamond Raman peak in counts/sec divided by the intensity of photoluminescence at 1270 cm.sup.- 1 greater than about 3, a Raman sp.sup.3 full width half maximum less than about 6 cm.sup.-1 and a diamond-to-graphite Raman ratio greater than about 25. The thermal conductivity of the CVD diamond material is in excess of 17 Wcm.sup.-1 K. sup.-1.