Contact Sales & After-Sales Service

Contact & Quotation

  • Inquire: Call 0086-755-23203480, or reach out via the form below/your sales contact to discuss our design, manufacturing, and assembly capabilities.
  • Quote: Email your PCB files to Sales@pcbsync.com (Preferred for large files) or submit online. We will contact you promptly. Please ensure your email is correct.
Drag & Drop Files, Choose Files to Upload You can upload up to 3 files.

Notes:
For PCB fabrication, we require PCB design file in Gerber RS-274X format (most preferred), *.PCB/DDB (Protel, inform your program version) format or *.BRD (Eagle) format. For PCB assembly, we require PCB design file in above mentioned format, drilling file and BOM. Click to download BOM template To avoid file missing, please include all files into one folder and compress it into .zip or .rar format.

Base Metal · Copper Core

Copper core LED PCBs —
the metal that moves heat fastest.

Copper-base MCPCBs — including direct-thermal-path (DTP) construction — for the highest-power LEDs, where copper's ≈400 W/m·K and a near-zero-resistance path keep junctions cool.

Request a quote Discuss your design
Copper MCPCB & DTP≈400 W/m·K base1–8 layersHeavy copper to 6 oz
Copper core / DTPPCBSync
Copper core LED PCB
≈400W/m·K (copper)
1–8Layers (DTP)
15–35°CCooler vs aluminum
up to 6 ozCopper
100%Electrically tested
What it is

Copper core PCBs for extreme power density

A copper core LED PCB replaces aluminum with a pure copper base. Copper conducts heat about twice as fast as aluminum (≈400 vs ≈200 W/m·K) and spreads it more uniformly, so it is the choice when individual LEDs run hot or reliability is critical — automotive headlights, industrial and architectural lighting, lasers.

The biggest gain comes from direct thermal path (DTP) — also called thermoelectric separation — where copper pedestals pass through the dielectric so the LED sits almost directly on the copper. That removes the dielectric bottleneck that limits a normal aluminum MCPCB. For even lower resistance, see our ceramic LED PCB.

≈400 W/m·KTwice aluminum's spreading
Up to 8 layersDTP multilayer copper
DTP pedestalsNear-zero junction-to-base
Runs 15–35°C coolerLonger LED life
Why copper

When copper earns its cost

Extreme power density

Best when LEDs exceed ~5–10 W or ~50 W/cm².

Direct thermal path

DTP/copper-pedestal for a near-zero-resistance path.

Multilayer capable

1–8 layers with thermoelectric separation.

Reliability

Cooler junctions for headlights, lasers, industrial.

Thermal cycling

Holds up under -40 to +125 °C swings.

Turnkey

Pair with assembly and sourcing.

Applications

Where copper core LED PCBs are used

Auto headlightsHigh-power, high-reliability
Industrial lightingHigh-bay, architectural
Laser & IRLaser diodes, emitters
Street & floodHigh-wattage outdoor
COB enginesDTP under chip-on-board
Medical & precisionStable, intense output
Copper vs aluminum

Choosing your metal core

FactorAluminum MCPCBCopper core / DTP
Thermal conductivity≈200 W/m·K≈400 W/m·K (DTP near-junction)
Best for DecisionGeneral lighting, cost & weightExtreme power, reliability
Layers1–41–8 (DTP)
Relative cost$ (baseline)$$–$$$ (≈2×)
WeightLightHeavier
Moderate power? Aluminum is usually the better value — send your diode and current and we'll advise.
How DTP works

Removing the dielectric bottleneck

In a standard metal-core board, heat must cross a polymer dielectric before reaching the metal — that layer is the real limit. DTP etches copper pedestals through the dielectric so the LED pad sits on solid copper, approaching the base metal's full ≈400 W/m·K. It is the same thermal thinking behind every high-power LED PCB we build, verified in our PCB laboratory.

  • Copper pedestals — LED pad almost on the copper base.
  • High-TC dielectric — where DTP isn't used.
  • Heavy copper — up to 6 oz spreading.
  • 1–8 layers — multilayer thermoelectric separation.
  • Symmetric stackup — to prevent warpage.
Near-zero thermal pathJunction heat conducted down to the heatsinkLED diePhosphor / lensSolderDielectricCopper base (DTP)HeatsinkDTP copper thermal path
Start your project

Talk to a copper core PCB engineer

Send your LED power, current and reliability target and we'll recommend aluminum, copper or DTP — and a quote, usually within 24 hours.

  • Power & flux — watts per LED, W/cm².
  • Construction — standard copper or DTP.
  • Quantity — prototype, pilot or production.

LED PCB inquiry

Reply within 24 hours · DFM included · NDA on request
or
Upload your Gerber files →
Submitting opens your email app with the details prefilled. Files are attached on the upload page.
Explore

Related LED PCB capabilities

Aluminum PCBLower-cost metal coreHigh Power LED PCBThermal design by wattageCeramic LED PCBLowest thermal resistanceAutomotive LED PCBHeadlamp boardsCustom LED PCBBuilt to your specLED PCB OverviewAll LED board types
Answers

Copper core LED PCB — FAQ

Aluminum MCPCB covers most general lighting at lower cost and weight. Choose copper when power density is extreme — individual LEDs above ~5–10 W, heat flux over ~50 W/cm², or mission-critical reliability. Copper spreads heat about twice as fast (≈400 vs ≈200 W/m·K).

DTP — also called thermoelectric-separation or copper-pedestal — etches or plates copper pedestals through the dielectric so the LED thermal pad sits almost directly on the copper base, giving a near-zero-resistance thermal path. It can reach the copper's full ≈400 W/m·K.

Standard copper-base MCPCBs are 1–2 layers; with DTP/thermoelectric-separation construction we build up to 8 layers, which aluminum MCPCBs generally cannot match.

In high-power designs copper cores have been reported to run roughly 15–35 °C cooler than an equivalent aluminum MCPCB — and every 10 °C off junction temperature can roughly double LED life.

Yes. In a standard MCPCB the dielectric is the real bottleneck, so we pair copper with a high thermal-conductivity dielectric — or use DTP to bypass it. For the absolute lowest resistance, compare a ceramic LED PCB.

Let's build your copper core LED PCB.

When aluminum can't keep up — copper and DTP for the coolest junctions and the longest life.

Request a quote Talk to an engineer

Contact Sales & After-Sales Service

Contact & Quotation

  • Inquire: Call 0086-755-23203480, or reach out via the form below/your sales contact to discuss our design, manufacturing, and assembly capabilities.

  • Quote: Email your PCB files to Sales@pcbsync.com (Preferred for large files) or submit online. We will contact you promptly. Please ensure your email is correct.

Drag & Drop Files, Choose Files to Upload You can upload up to 3 files.

Notes:
For PCB fabrication, we require PCB design file in Gerber RS-274X format (most preferred), *.PCB/DDB (Protel, inform your program version) format or *.BRD (Eagle) format. For PCB assembly, we require PCB design file in above mentioned format, drilling file and BOM. Click to download BOM template To avoid file missing, please include all files into one folder and compress it into .zip or .rar format.