The requirements of computing power and microelectronics in computer and communication technology, as well as power electronics in laser, aviation and aerospace technology are demanding. Chip development is being characterized by increasing energy density and high heat losses, while at the same time reducing the structures size. Therefore, these systems are in principle more sensitive to degradation and must be protected from overheating by an effective thermal management. That is why Si and GaAs semiconductors must be mounted on substrates or floor panels, which function simultaneously as a heat sink. In order to avoid thermal stresses, materials of the same thermal expansion rate and high thermal conductivity are required.

Materials made of TUCOMET® alloys meet these characteristics perfectly. Since the thermal expansion rate of WCu heat sinks corresponds (up to a temperature of 800°C) to the thermal expansion of packing materials, they can interact with each other with minimal creation of stresses. This and the additional heat capacity increases the life of semiconductor laser diodes significantly when used in an intermittent laser operation.