A chip packaging system and method for providing enhanced thermal cooling including a first embodiment wherein a diamond thin film is used to replace at least the surface layer of the existing packaging material in order to form a highly heat conductive path to an associated heat sink. An alternative embodiment provides diamond thin film layers disposed on adjacent surfaces of the chip and the chip package. Yet another alternative embodiment includes diamond thin film layers on adjacent chip surfaces in a chip-to-chip packaging structure. A final illustrated embodiment provides for the use of an increased number of solder balls disposed in at least one diamond thin film layer on at least one of a chip and a chip package joined with standard C4 technology.