Abstract: A method of cooling a heat generating device includes positioning a base of an electronically conductive heat sink in thermal communication with a heat generating device, wherein the heat sink includes a plurality of fins extending in a longitudinal direction from a first end to a second end, and coupling the heat sink to ground. The method further includes emitting ions from a plurality of ion emitter elements disposed in a non-planar pattern along the first ends of the plurality of fins, wherein at least three ion emitter elements are equidistant from the first end of the nearest fin and are positioned in an arc having an axis that extends along the first end of the nearest fin.