Diamonds are breaking into a new frontier in artificial intelligence
Recently, China's CCTV Finance News reported that as demand for artificial intelligence computing power surges, diamonds-known as the "teeth of industry"-are entering new application scenarios.
As the hardest substance in nature, diamond was previously mainly used in cutting and wear-resistant applications. Nowadays, due to its outstanding thermal conductivity, it has become a key material for heat dissipation in chips.
Its heat conductivity is five times that of copper and ten times that of silicon, which can effectively meet the increasing heat dissipation demands of large servers.
Core Advantage: Heat Dissipation Performance
1. Extremely strong heat conduction ability: The thermal conductivity is approximately 2000-2200 W/(m·K), which is 5 times that of copper and 10 times that of silicon. It can quickly disperse the heat generated by the chip.
2. Stable performance: The highest hardness, excellent insulation, and low thermal expansion coefficient make it suitable for 3nm-level precision chips, reducing thermal stress and leakage risks.
3. Essential application： When the single-chip power consumption exceeds 1400W, diamond cooling becomes the preferred solution.
Industry Progress: From Laboratory to Industrialization
1. Demand Surge: The number of diamond heat sinks submitted for inspection in 2025 was five times that of 2024, and by the first four months of 2026, it had exceeded the entire year of 2025.
2. Standard Improvement: In January 2026, a new testing standard was released, accelerating the standardization of the industry.
3. Scope Expansion: It has extended from chip cooling to high-end fields such as communication base stations, radars, and aerospace electronic equipment.
4. Chinese Advantage: The output of synthetic diamonds accounts for over 90% of the global total. The industrial chain is accelerating its layout, and production capacity and technology are making rapid breakthroughs.
Cost Bottlenecks and Solutions
1. Pure Diamond: The best performance but extremely high cost, limiting large-scale application.
2. Diamond - Copper Composite Material (Mainstream Solution):
3.Thermal Conductivity: Approximately 550-950 W/(m·K) (half of that of pure diamond).
4. Cost: Only 1/5 - 1/10 of pure diamond.
5. Progress: Expected to be mass-produced in 2026, becoming the main force in mid-range computing scenarios.
Market Prospects: Accelerated Implementation of a Trillion-Dollar Industry
1.Short-term (2025-2026): The market size of diamond cooling solutions is approximately 1 billion yuan, with AI servers and high-end chips as the core driving forces.
2. Long-term: Gradually entering the fields of consumer electronics and automotive electronics, with the global market size expected to exceed 15 billion US dollars by 2030.
3. Value Shift: Diamond moves from being a "perfect material in the laboratory" to an "industrial key material", and will深度融合 with semiconductor devices in the future
