Heat spreader

A heat spreader comprising:

• a layer of CVD diamond grown onto a diamond loaded (DL) material, the DL material comprising a mass of diamond particles in a matrix and having a surface with exposed diamond particles on which the layer of CVD diamond is grown,
• wherein the layer of CVD diamond is bonded to the exposed diamond particles of the DL material at least in part by epitaxy.

A heat spreader comprising:

• a layer of DL material having major surfaces on each of opposite sides thereof;
• and
• a layer of CVD diamond in thermal contact with each of the major surfaces, with either one or both of the CVD diamond layers being bonded at least in part by epitaxy to exposed diamond particles of the DL material.

A method of manufacturing a heat spreader comprising:

• providing a diamond loaded (DL) material comprising a mass of diamond particles in a matrix and having an exposed surface with exposed diamond particles;
• growing a layer of CVD diamond onto the exposed surface of the DL material such that it is bonded to the exposed diamond particles at least in part by epitaxy,
• wherein the exposed surface of the DL material is treated prior to growing the layer of CVD diamond thereon, thereby to enhance the epitaxy over that which would otherwise occur naturally using untreated DL material.