Heat conductor component

Abstract

The present invention relates to a thermally conductive electrical component configured for conducting heat between a first region and a second region, the thermally conductive electrical component comprising: at least two first portions wherein the first portions are electrically conductive connector portions connectable to the first region and the second region; a third portion, wherein the third portion is at least one layer of electrical isolation portion disposed on the at least two first portions; and a fourth silicon substrate portion, where the fourth silicon substrate portion is disposed on the third portion such that the third portion forms an electrical barrier between the at least two first portions and the fourth silicon substrate portion. Wherein the thermally conductive electrical component is configured to transfer a main heat portion from the first region through the third portion to the fourth silicon substrate portion, and further through the fourth silicon substrate portion through the third portion to the second region. A method of conducting heat between a first region and a second region is also disclosed.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to a thermal conductor component (Q-guide) configured to efficiently conduct heat between a first region and a second region in an electronic system. Background Technology

[0002] In smart electronic systems (such as Internet of Things (IoT) devices, light-emitting diode (LED) lighting devices, and other consumer electronics), a common trend is to cram more and more functionality into a limited space. Therefore, these systems require different integrated circuits to be packed together, ideally as close as possible.

[0003] When developing smaller electronic systems, integrated circuits are arranged very close to each other, sometimes stacked on top of one another. One challenge is thermal performance. For example, in battery-operated devices, good thermal performance is crucial for safe operation and long battery life, especially for portable devices. Excessive heat can also affect the reliability of electronic devices and even cause them to malfunction. Ultimately, the accumulation of heat can affect the functional lifespan of electronic devices.

[0004] Existing technologies typically employ fans, heat sinks, liquid cooling devices, or, on a smaller scale, Q thermal conductors (mainly composed of aluminum nitride or beryllium oxide) as a means of reducing heat buildup in electronic devices.

[0005] One issue with Q-type thermal conductors is that they are typically manufactured in a monolithic structure, offering RoHS-compliant surface-mount packages. In certain applications where space optimization is critical, they may not meet the requirements of electronic systems. Summary of the Invention

[0006] Therefore, there is a need to construct a thermally conductive device with high thermal conductivity and scalable size that can be suitable for any application using cheaper materials. As disclosed herein, this can be achieved by a thermally conductive component configured to conduct heat between a first region and a second region, the thermally conductive component comprising: at least two first portions, wherein the first portions are conductive connector portions capable of connecting to the first region and the second region; a third portion, wherein the third portion is at least one layer of electrical isolation disposed on the at least two first portions; and a fourth silicon substrate portion, wherein the fourth silicon substrate portion is disposed on the third portion such that the third portion forms an electrical barrier between the at least two first portions and the fourth silicon substrate portion, wherein the thermally conductive component is configured to transfer a primary portion of heat from the first region through the third portion to the fourth silicon substrate portion, and further through the fourth silicon substrate portion to the second region via the third portion.

[0007] One advantage of placing thermally conductive components on a silicon substrate is that they can be manufactured more cost-effectively. The dimensions of these components can also be adjusted to suit any application. The manufacturing process is similar to that of integrated circuits fabricated on silicon substrates, allowing the thermally conductive components to be manufactured using the same methods. This reduces costs compared to thermally conductive components currently manufactured primarily using alumina-based or beryllium oxide structures. Alumina-based or beryllium oxide structures are also more expensive to manufacture than components based on silicon substrates.

[0008] The third part can preferably be an electrically isolated portion, configured such that at least two of the first portions are electrically isolated from the fourth silicon substrate portion. The third part can advantageously include a material that will increase the thermal conductivity of the thermally conductive component.

[0009] For example, at least two first portions and / or third portions described herein may be arranged or deposited on other portions (e.g., at least two first portions, third portions, and / or a fourth silicon substrate portion). In the field of microelectronics, for example, with respect to the thermally conductive components disclosed herein, the meaning of a portion being "arranged" is the same as the meaning of a component being "deposited." The term "arranged" can refer to the spatial arrangement or positioning of portions relative to each other. The term "deposited" can refer to the deposition of one or more portions once or multiple times by means of deposition. Deposition can involve the spatial arrangement or positioning of these portions relative to each other in a manner in which they are deposited.

[0010] This disclosure also relates to a method for conducting heat between first and second regions, comprising the steps of: providing a thermally conductive component configured to conduct heat between the first and second regions, the thermally conductive component comprising: at least two first portions, wherein the first portions are conductive connector portions connectable to the first and second regions; a third portion, wherein the third portion is at least one layer of electrically insulating material disposed on the at least two first portions; and a fourth silicon substrate portion, wherein the fourth silicon substrate portion is disposed on the third portion such that the third portion forms an electrical barrier between the at least two first portions and the fourth silicon substrate portion; wherein the thermally conductive component is configured to transfer a primary portion of heat from the first region through the third portion to the fourth silicon substrate portion, and further through the fourth silicon substrate portion to the second region via the third portion; and also discloses the conduction of heat between the first and second regions.

[0011] This method allows for more efficient heat conduction between the first and second regions by providing a thermally conductive component comprising at least two first portions, wherein the first portions are conductive connector portions capable of connecting to the first and second regions. The thermally conductive component includes a fourth silicon substrate portion disposed on a third portion, which makes the manufacturing cost of the thermally conductive component lower than any conventional thermal bridge or Q-bridge with equivalent structure and / or size. Attached Figure Description

[0012] In the following description, embodiments and examples will be presented in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The drawings are non-limiting examples of embodiments, intended to illustrate some features of the thermally conductive electrical components disclosed in this invention.

[0013] Figure 1A -F shows a schematic cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the thermally conductive electrical component disclosed herein.

[0014] Figure 2 A schematic cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the thermally conductive component disclosed herein is shown, wherein the first portion has grooves included in the second portion.

[0015] Figure 3 A 2D side view of an embodiment of the thermally conductive electrical component disclosed herein is shown.

[0016] Figure 4 A simulation setup is shown to demonstrate the efficiency of the thermoelectric component disclosed herein compared to a Q-bridge thermal conductor of similar size constructed of aluminum nitride (AlN).

[0017] Figure 5 An example flowchart of the method for conducting heat between a first region and a second region disclosed in this invention is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0018] This disclosure relates to a thermally conductive component configured to conduct heat between first and second regions, the thermally conductive component comprising: at least two first portions, wherein the first portions are conductive connector portions connectable to the first and second regions; a third portion, wherein the third portion is at least one layer of electrical isolation disposed on the at least two first portions; and a fourth silicon substrate portion, wherein the fourth silicon substrate portion is disposed on the third portion such that the third portion forms an electrical barrier between the at least two first portions and the fourth silicon substrate portion, wherein the thermally conductive component is configured to transfer a portion of heat from the first region to the second region.

[0019] The transfer of heat from one region to another can refer to the movement of thermal energy from a higher temperature region to a lower temperature region. Heat transfer can occur through three main mechanisms: conduction, convection, and radiation.

[0020] Conduction can be the transfer of heat that occurs when a temperature gradient exists within a solid, causing heat to flow from a hotter region to a colder region. This can happen through energy transfer between adjacent molecules in a material, without any net movement of the material as a whole.

[0021] The following methods can be used to measure conduction or heat transfer in solids, or preferably in the thermally conductive components described herein:

[0022] • Thermal conductivity measurement: This method involves measuring the thermal conductivity of a material. Thermal conductivity is a material property that describes the rate at which heat flows through a material under a given temperature gradient. Thermal conductivity can be measured using various techniques, such as steady-state methods, transient methods, and the protective hot plate method.

[0023] • Thermal resistance measurement: A second potential method involves measuring the thermal resistance of a material. Thermal resistance is the reciprocal of thermal conductivity and describes a material's resistance to heat flow. Thermal resistance can be measured using various techniques, such as the protected hot plate method, the transient planar source method, and the double-layer method.

[0024] Infrared thermal imaging is a non-contact method for visualizing and measuring temperature distribution and heat flow within materials or between two contacting materials. An infrared camera can detect and measure infrared radiation emitted from a material surface, which is correlated with surface temperature and therefore with heat flow.

[0025] Other methods exist and can be used to measure heat transfer in thermally conductive components.

[0026] Several other simulation methods can be used to simulate heat transfer or conduction. Some commonly used methods are:

[0027] The finite element method (FEM) is a numerical method for solving complex heat transfer problems. In this method, the problem domain is divided into small finite elements, and a set of linear equations is used to approximate the temperature distribution within each element. These equations are then solved using an iterative method to obtain the temperature distribution.

[0028] The Finite Volume Method (FVM) is a method for discretizing the heat transfer equations into a set of algebraic equations. In this method, the problem domain is divided into small control volumes, and the heat transfer equations are integrated over each volume. The solution is then obtained by solving this set of algebraic equations.

[0029] The Boundary Element Method (BEM) is a method for solving problems involving heat transfer across boundaries. In this method, the boundary of the problem domain is divided into small elements, and the temperature distribution within each element is approximated. An iterative method is then used to solve the equations and obtain the temperature distribution.

[0030] The Monte Carlo method is a stochastic approach used to solve problems involving random variables. In this method, a large number of random samples are generated, and the temperature distribution is obtained by averaging the results of all samples.

[0031] Each of these methods has its own advantages and disadvantages, and the choice of method depends on the specific problem to be solved and the available computing resources.

[0032] The heat transfer portion may be the primary heat transfer portion. This heat transfer portion may be transferred at different intensity levels in different parts of the thermally conductive component. Preferably, the heat transfer portion may be transferred in at least two first, second, third, fifth, and / or fourth silicon substrate portions. This heat transfer portion may be heat transferred from a first region to a second region, or heat transferred from a second region to a first region.

[0033] Figure 1A A schematic cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the thermally conductive component (100) disclosed herein is shown. Figure 1A-1F All of them and in Figure 2 Specific materials are given by way of example. Those skilled in the art will recognize that the thermally conductive components are not necessarily limited to the materials shown in the examples, but can be any material suitable for a particular part. At least two first portions (101, 102) are made of copper (Cu), which is a highly efficient conductive material. At least two first portions (101, 102) are advantageously solderable so as to be soldered to the first region and the second region, respectively. A third portion is arranged between the at least two first portions and the fourth silicon substrate portion (104). The third portion (103) is made of silicon nitride (Si3N4) and / or silicon dioxide (SiO2), which makes the third portion an electrically insulating portion, thereby electrically isolating the at least two first portions from the fourth silicon substrate portion (104).

[0034] The first and second regions can be regions contained within the same integrated circuit, but they can also be regions located on different integrated circuits and / or printed circuit boards. Preferably, the first and second regions can be contained within the same integrated circuit and located on the same surface, so that the thermally conductive component described herein can be soldered to at least two first portions on both surfaces.

[0035] The thermally conductive component may also include a second portion. The second portion may be thermally conductive and substantially non-conductive, and may be disposed between the first and third portions. The second portion preferably facilitates heat dissipation from the first portion to the third portion. Preferably, the second portion may be highly thermally conductive to conduct as much heat as possible from the first and / or third portion toward either the first or third portion.

[0036] The second part can be configured to assist the fourth silicon substrate part in transferring the main heat from the first part to the third part. Advantageously, the second part can be a non-conductive part so that it can electrically isolate the first part from the third part, and vice versa, and it can efficiently dissipate or spread heat from the first part and the third part. The main heat can be generated from heat-generating components or areas such as power transistors, voltage regulators, microprocessors, and switching power supplies. Power transistors are used to switch high voltages and currents in power electronics applications. They generate a lot of heat due to the high power levels involved. Voltage regulators are used to regulate voltages in electronic circuits. They generate heat due to the voltage drop across the regulator and the current flowing through it. Switching power supplies are used to convert AC voltages to DC voltages in electronic devices. They generate heat due to the high-frequency switching of large currents.

[0037] Figure 1B A schematic cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the thermally conductive electrical component (100) disclosed herein is shown. In this embodiment, at least two first portions (101, 102) are made of copper (Cu), which is a highly efficient conductive material. The at least two first portions (101, 102) can advantageously be weldable so that they can be welded to a first region and a second region, respectively. A second portion (105) is arranged between the at least two first portions (101, 102) and a third portion (103). The second portion (105) is made of alumina (Al2O3) and / or aluminum nitride (AlN). These materials can have the advantages of being both electrical insulators and good thermal conductors, thereby improving the thermal conductivity between the at least two first layers and the third layer. Figure 1B As shown, the second portion (105) is disposed only above the surface defined by at least two first portions (101, 102). This minimizes the surface area of ​​the second portion, thereby minimizing the cost of the thermally conductive components, while still significantly improving the thermal conductivity from the at least two first portions to the third portion. The third portion (103) is disposed between the second portion and the fourth silicon substrate portion (104). The third portion (103) is made of silicon nitride (Si3N4) and / or silicon dioxide (SiO2), which makes the third portion (103) an electrically insulating portion, thereby electrically isolating the at least two first portions from the fourth silicon substrate portion (104).

[0038] Figure 1CA schematic cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the thermally conductive component (100) disclosed herein is shown. At least two first portions (101, 102) are made of copper (Cu), which is a highly efficient conductive material. The at least two first portions (101, 102) are advantageously weldable so that they can be welded to the first and second regions, respectively. A second portion (105) is arranged between the at least two first portions (101, 102) and the third portion (103). The second portion (105) is made of alumina (Al2O3) and / or aluminum nitride (AlN). These materials can have the advantages of being electrical insulators and good conductive materials, thereby improving the thermal conductivity between the at least two first layers and the third layer. Figure 1C As shown, the second portion (105) is disposed below the third portion (103) and covers the entire third portion, not just the surface above at least two of the first portions. This can significantly improve the thermal conductivity from one of the two first portions to the other, because heat can be efficiently conducted between the two portions with higher thermal conductivity due to the characteristics of the second portion. The third portion (103) is disposed between the second portion (105) and the fourth silicon substrate portion (104). The third portion (103) is made of silicon nitride (Si3N4) and / or silicon dioxide (SiO2), which makes the third portion an electrically insulating portion, thereby electrically isolating at least two of the first portions and the fourth silicon substrate portion (104).

[0039] The conductive connector portion can be made of a conductive material. Preferably, the conductive material can be highly conductive, such as copper, with a conductivity of approximately 385 W / (m·K), but it can also be gold or silver, with conductivity of approximately 314 W / (m·K) and 406 W / (m·K), respectively. The conductivity of any material is temperature-dependent. Copper is preferred because it is cheaper than gold or silver. The conductive connector portion can be designed to allow components to be soldered onto it. Ports of electronic components can be soldered onto the conductive portion, such as ports of passive components or power transistors, or any other ports of electronic or microelectronic integrated circuits or components. Preferably, the conductive portion can be a pad, a small area on a semiconductor device that can be designed to facilitate electrical connection. The pad is preferably made of a conductive material (e.g., copper) and serves as the contact point for wire bonding or soldering connections. Advantageously, this allows thermally conductive components to be connected to any auxiliary pads requiring heat dissipation, while potentially being electrically isolated.

[0040] The conductive material can be made of a solderable material, preferably a metal, such as copper (Cu). As described herein, the conductive material can be any material that is preferably solderable and capable of conducting electrical charges.

[0041] At least two first portions may contain at least one trench. This at least one trench substantially penetrates the second portion. For example... Figure 2 As shown in the figure, this illustrates an embodiment of a thermally conductive component (100), in which at least two first portions (101, 102) may have grooves (109) extending into a second portion (105). The first portions (101, 102) may be made of copper and may substantially penetrate the second portion (105), thereby allowing more of the copper surface to contact the material constituting the second portion (105), which may be Al2O3 / AlN. By allowing more copper area to contact the second portion (105), better thermal conductivity can be achieved.

[0042] At least one trench can be manufactured using / following an etching process. Etching is a process that selectively removes material from a surface using chemical or physical processes. The purpose of etching is to create a pattern or modify the properties of a surface. Etching can be performed using various methods, including wet etching and dry etching. Wet etching involves immersing a substrate in a liquid solution that reacts with the material to be removed, while dry etching uses plasma or other physical means to remove the material. The choice of etching method can depend on the material being etched and the desired pattern or structure. At least one trench can be fabricated using other manufacturing methods, such as deposition, photolithography, laser ablation, or electroplating.

[0043] At least one trench may be at least one partial trench. At least one partial trench or at least one trench may be etched within a second portion.

[0044] In one embodiment, a first portion is deposited on a second portion, and the first portion fills at least one partial trench. The at least one partial trench can be at least one trench.

[0045] In a preferred embodiment, at least one partial trench has a partial trench height. At least one trench may have a trench height. The trench height may be the depth of the trench itself. The trench height may refer to the depth of the trench etched into one of the portions described herein (e.g., a second portion, at least two first portions, a third portion, or a fourth silicon substrate portion). The trench height, or the depth of the trench, may be defined as the vertical distance from the top surface of the material or the portion thereon where the trench is executed to the bottom of the trench.

[0046] At least one trench can penetrate downwards into the second portion to 10% of the height or thickness of the second portion, preferably 20%, more preferably 50%, even more preferably 75%, and most preferably 90%. Preferably, the more the at least one trench penetrates into the second portion, the better the thermal conductivity from at least two first portions to the other portions. On the other hand, the more the at least one trench penetrates downwards into the second portion, the lower the permissible breakdown voltage of the thermoelectric component. Advantageously, a tradeoff can be found to meet the desired thermal conductivity while allowing sufficient breakdown voltage.

[0047] To potentially increase the breakdown voltage, the second portion can be significantly thicker below at least two of the first portions. This would be efficient if at least two of the first portions require a high breakdown voltage while allowing for significantly deep trenches within the second portion. A thicker second portion allows for better protection against voltage breakdown because it increases the distance between the first portions and adjacent portions (e.g., the second, third, fifth, and / or fourth silicon substrate portions).

[0048] At least one trench can also reduce the capacitive load on the first portion. By providing at least one trench, better thermal diffusivity / thermal conductivity can be achieved while maximizing the distance between the shallow part of the trench and the third, fifth, and / or fourth silicon substrate layers. This is advantageous when the thermally conductive components are connected to the first and second regions (where the first and / or second regions are sensitive to capacitive load), and when the capacitive load on the first portion should be minimized. This is especially true when the first and / or second regions are areas of interest at RF / microwave frequencies. Advantageously, low capacitance is required on these regions or nodes so that they are substantially transparent at the frequencies of interest.

[0049] The conductive connector portion can have a diameter of 0.027 to 25 mm. 2 More preferably, the thickness is between 0.027 and 5.6 mm. 2 Even more preferably, it is 0.027 to 0.79 mm. 2 The connector area. The conductive connector portion is suitable for any type of application that may require a large area to be connected to the conductive connector portion. The larger area may benefit from a strong bond, which will also help conduct heat from the first area to the conductive connector portion soldered thereto. Preferably, the connector surface can be adapted to conform to standards, such as surface mount device (SMD) parts, which come in various sizes and shapes and are typically specified by standard codes. Some examples are described below:

[0050] ·0201: This is the smallest SMD package size, measuring 0.6 mm × 0.3 mm. It can be used for small resistors and capacitors.

[0051] ·0402: This package measures 1.0mm × 0.5mm and can be used for resistors, capacitors, and diodes.

[0052] ·0603: This package measures 1.6mm × 0.8mm and can be used for resistors, capacitors, and inductors.

[0053] ·0805: This package measures 2.0mm × 1.25mm and can be used for resistors, capacitors, and inductors.

[0054] ·1206: This package measures 3.2mm × 1.6mm and can be used for resistors, capacitors, and inductors.

[0055] ·1210: This package measures 3.2mm × 2.5mm and can be used for resistors, capacitors, and inductors.

[0056] • 1812: This package measures 4.5mm x 3.2mm and can be used for resistors, capacitors, and inductors.

[0057] • 2220: This package measures 5.6mm × 4.5mm and can be used for high-power resistors, capacitors, and inductors.

[0058] • 3528: This package measures 3.5mm × 2.8mm and can be used for LED packaging.

[0059] The electrical connector portion can also have an even larger connector surface area, such as 100mm. 2 This is especially true where one of the electrical connector portions can be connected to a heat dissipation system (such as a fan or radiator) or bonded to a large ground plane.

[0060] The conductive connector portion can have a height or thickness between 10 and 50 μm. This height or thickness may need to be selected depending on the connections that need to be arranged on the conductive connector portion. Advantageously, a lower height or thickness will save material, but will make the conductive connector portion more fragile during soldering. A larger height or thickness will make the connector stronger, but will increase material usage.

[0061] Thermally conductive and substantially non-conductive parts can be made of aluminum-containing materials. Aluminum-containing materials are good candidates for thermal conductivity because aluminum has a high thermal conductivity value of approximately 237 W / mK. Aluminum-containing materials can be alumina (Al₂O₃) and / or aluminum nitride (AlN). These materials can have the advantages of being both electrical insulators and good thermal management materials. Al₂O₃ can be used as an electrical insulator and can have good thermal properties. This can be advantageously used as a thermal barrier or as a thermal interface material. Al₂O₃ can also be used as the gate oxide in metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) devices to electrically insulate the gate electrode from the channel region. Al₂O₃ is a popular choice for gate oxide materials because of its relatively high dielectric constant compared to other insulators. AlN can also be an electrical insulator with high dielectric strength. One of the key properties of AlN is its high thermal conductivity, which makes it an excellent thermal management material in microelectronics. The thermal conductivity of AlN can be approximately three times that of Al₂O₃. The combination of Al₂O₃ and AlN can provide a robust blend, resulting in a highly thermally conductive and essentially non-conductive component. The thermal conductivity of Al₂O₃ is approximately 25–40 W / mK, while that of AlN is approximately 140–320 W / mK. These thermal conductivity values ​​can vary due to various factors such as impurities and material structure.

[0062] Electrically insulating materials can be made from silicon-containing materials. These silicon-containing materials can be silicon nitride (Si3N4) and / or silicon dioxide (SiO2). Si3N4 has high dielectric strength, meaning it can withstand high electric fields without breakdown. This makes it suitable for applications requiring electrical isolation, such as passivation layers in microelectronic devices or gate dielectrics in MOSFETs. In this disclosure, it may be necessary to isolate at least two first portions made of conductive materials from a fourth silicon substrate portion. Si3N4 also has good thermal properties and can be used as a thermal barrier or as a thermal interface material.

[0063] SiO2 is also an excellent electrical insulator with high dielectric strength. It can be used as a gate oxide in MOSFETs, where it can help improve device performance by reducing gate leakage current. SiO2 is also a popular choice for passivation layers in microelectronic devices, where it helps protect underlying components from environmental factors.

[0064] Both Si3N4 and SiO2 possess excellent chemical and mechanical properties, making them attractive in microelectronics. In this disclosure, although the good thermal properties of Si3N4 and SiO2 can facilitate the conduction of primary heat from the first region to the second region, their insulating properties are preferably utilized.

[0065] In one embodiment, the thermally conductive component further includes a fifth portion. The fifth portion may be disposed between the third portion and the fourth substrate portion. The fifth portion is a diffusion barrier layer. The diffusion barrier layer may comprise materials such as titanium nitride (TiN), tantalum nitride (TaN), tungsten (W), molybdenum (Mo), ruthenium (Ru), platinum (Pt), cobalt (Co), and nickel (Ni). The diffusion barrier layer prevents unwanted diffusion or migration of atoms or ions between layers (preferably between the third portion and the fourth silicon substrate portion). By using the diffusion barrier layer, problems such as short circuits, increased resistivity, or reliability issues can be prevented or minimized. This improves device performance and reliability.

[0066] Preferably, the diffusion barrier layer can be made of TiN and / or TaN. TiN and / or TaN are preferred as materials for the fifth part for the following reasons:

[0067] TiN and TaN exhibit excellent adhesion to a variety of materials commonly used in microelectronics, which allows for good coverage and uniformity of the barrier layer.

[0068] Both TiN and TaN have high melting points, which makes them suitable for high-temperature processes, such as those used to manufacture copper interconnects.

[0069] TiN and TaN have been shown to have good barrier properties, which means they can effectively prevent copper or other metal atoms from diffusing into adjacent layers.

[0070] Both TiN and TaN are chemically stable, meaning they are unlikely to react with other materials or impurities in the device and cause reliability issues.

[0071] TiN and TaN have relatively low resistivity, which means that they can be used as conductive layers in addition to being used as diffusion barrier layers.

[0072] Figure 1DA schematic cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the thermally conductive component (100) disclosed herein is shown. At least two first portions (101, 102) are made of copper (Cu), which is a highly efficient conductive material. At least two first portions (101, 102) may advantageously be solderable so that they can be soldered to a first region and a second region, respectively. A third portion is disposed between at least two first portions and a fifth portion (106). The fifth portion is disposed between the third portion (103) and a fourth silicon substrate portion (104). The fifth portion (106) is made of TiN and / or TaN. It constitutes a diffusion barrier layer and can prevent or reduce problems such as short circuits, increased resistivity, or reliability issues. The third portion (103) is made of silicon nitride (Si3N4) and / or silicon dioxide (SiO2), which makes the third portion an electrically insulating portion, thereby electrically isolating the at least two first portions from the fourth silicon substrate portion (104).

[0073] The upper and / or lower surfaces of the thermally conductive components can range from 0.08 to 38 mm. 2 The preferred range is 0.08 to 28.8 mm. 2 More preferably, it is 0.18 to 28.8 mm. 2 Even more preferably, it is 0.18 to 8 mm. 2 The optimal value is 0.18 to 2.6 mm. 2 The upper and / or lower surface may conform to the SMD package size standards described herein. The upper and / or lower surface may also be designed and have dimensions suitable for specific applications that do not conform to SMD standards. The thermally conductive components described herein offer design flexibility, allowing for a variety of sizes without significantly increasing manufacturing complexity.

[0074] The fourth silicon substrate portion may have a fourth silicon substrate portion height or thickness, or a fourth silicon substrate portion height or thickness between 100 and 525 μm. The possible height or thickness of the fourth silicon substrate depends on the application. For example, 100 μm is a common thickness for silicon substrates used in microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) applications. Thinner substrates may also be more fragile and more difficult to handle and process. For silicon substrates used in discrete components such as diodes and transistors, 300 μm may be a preferred thickness. Thicker substrates may be advantageous for discrete components because they can provide greater mechanical stability and support, which helps prevent cracking and deformation during processing and use. However, thicker substrates may also require more energy to process and may be more expensive.

[0075] The second portion may have a second portion height or thickness, or a second portion height or thickness between 20 and 400 nm. A thicker layer (preferably above 300 nm) can improve the mechanical strength and stability of the underlying layer and provide better diffusion barrier properties. It can also help improve the performance and reliability of the device by providing better underlying insulation and passivation, and can advantageously provide enhanced thermal conductivity. The preferred thickness of the second portion can be selected based on the specific requirements of the thermoelectric component for a particular application.

[0076] The trench height, or a portion thereof, can be significantly lower than the thickness or height of the second portion. At least one trench can be etched within the second portion, but preferably not within the third or fourth substrate portion. Therefore, the trench height can be significantly lower than the thickness of the second portion, since a trench height with a greater depth than the second portion would be etched within the third or fourth silicon substrate portion.

[0077] The third portion may have a height or a thickness between 0.1 and 5 μm. A thicker layer (preferably greater than 1 μm) can improve the mechanical strength and stability of the substrate, provide better diffusion barrier properties, help improve the performance and reliability of the device by providing better substrate insulation and passivation, and advantageously provide enhanced thermal conductivity. The preferred thickness of the third portion can be selected based on the specific requirements of the thermoelectric component for a particular application.

[0078] The fifth portion may have a fifth portion height or a fifth portion thickness between 20 and 200 nm. A thicker fifth portion can provide better barrier properties, improved adhesion, and reduced interconnect resistance. A thinner layer can reduce processing time by requiring a shorter deposition time, will reduce additional stress on the material itself, and may potentially increase the capacitance of the interconnect. Maintaining low capacitance is beneficial if the thermally conductive component will need to dissipate heat from the first region to the second region, and the first and / or second regions are areas of interest at RF / microwave frequencies. Advantageously, these regions or nodes require low capacitance so that they are substantially transparent at the frequencies of interest. The preferred thickness of the fifth portion can depend on the specific requirements of the thermally conductive component for a particular application and can be selected accordingly.

[0079] In a preferred embodiment, each of at least two first portions is located on opposite sides of the fourth silicon substrate portion. Preferably, each of at least two first portions is located on opposite vertical sides of the fourth silicon substrate portion, wherein the width of the fourth silicon substrate portion is greater than its height. Figure 1EA schematic cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the thermally conductive component (100) disclosed herein is shown. At least two first portions (101, 102, 107) are made of copper (Cu), which is a highly efficient conductive material. The at least two first portions (101, 102, 107) are advantageously solderable so that they can be soldered to a first region and a second region, respectively. In this specific embodiment, the at least two first portions include an additional portion (107) located on top of a fourth silicon substrate (104) such that heat can be dissipated on top of the thermally conductive component (100). This additional portion (107) can also be soldered or coupled to a heat dissipation system to maximize heat dissipation of the additional portion (107). A third portion (103) is disposed between the at least two first portions and a fifth portion (106). The fifth portion is disposed between the third portion (103) and the fourth silicon substrate portion (104). The fifth portion (106) is made of TiN and / or TaN. It forms a diffusion barrier layer and can prevent or minimize problems such as short circuits, increased resistivity, or reliability issues. The third part (103) is made of silicon nitride (Si3N4) and / or silicon dioxide (SiO2), which makes the third part an electrically isolated part so as to electrically isolate at least two of the first parts from the fourth silicon substrate part (104).

[0080] The second, third, and / or fifth portions may also be located on opposite sides of the fourth silicon substrate portion. For example... Figure 1E As shown, the third part (103) is located on the opposite side of the fourth silicon substrate part (104) and can be used to electrically isolate at least two first parts (101, 102, 107) from the fourth silicon substrate part (104) on the opposite side of the thermally conductive component (100).

[0081] At least two connector portions can be interconnected via a fourth silicon substrate portion. The interconnection between the at least two connector portions can be achieved via through-silicon vias (TSVs), but can also be achieved by any other method capable of 3D integration in a semiconductor device. In a preferred embodiment, the interconnection between the at least two connectors is performed via TSVs through the fourth silicon substrate portion.

[0082] Figure 1FA schematic cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the thermally conductive component (100) disclosed herein is shown. At least two first portions (101, 102) are made of copper (Cu), which is a highly efficient conductive material. The at least two first portions (101, 102) are advantageously solderable so that they can be soldered to the first and second regions, respectively. One of the two portions (101) is interconnected to the top of a fourth silicon substrate via a through-silicon via (108). The through-silicon via includes the material of the first portion and the third portion, which isolates the conductive material of the first portion from the fourth silicon substrate portion. In this specific embodiment, the right-hand portion enables a larger heat dissipation area through the upper side of the thermally conductive component. This upper side can also be soldered or coupled to a heat dissipation system to maximize heat dissipation in this additional area of ​​one of the two portions (101), wherein this additional area is connected to one of the two portions (101) via the through-silicon via (108). These through-silicon vias (108) also enable electrical connections from the bottom side to the top side of the thermally conductive component while providing improved heat dissipation.

[0083] In one embodiment, the through-silicon via (TSV) includes a second portion, a third portion, and / or a fifth portion. By including a second, third, and / or fifth portion in the TSV, better heat dissipation and a better diffusion barrier layer can be achieved throughout the TSV.

[0084] The second, third, and / or fifth parts may include at least one segment. For example... Figure 1B As shown, the second layer comprises two sections. The same principle applies to the third and / or fifth sections, where, for example, in... Figure 1D In this configuration, the third part (103) and the fifth part (106) can be implemented only above at least two of the first parts (101, 102). This will minimize the amount of material used in the third and fifth layers, thereby minimizing the manufacturing cost of the thermally conductive components.

[0085] Each of the at least two connectors can have a potential difference between 5 and 2000V, but can also be at least 400V and / or between 5 and 48V and / or 650 and 1200V. Typically, in some bus applications, automotive applications, and certain industrial systems, the potential difference is greater than 400V. Preferably, the at least two connectors are capable of withstanding a considerably high potential difference. This is particularly useful in applications where one of the at least two connectors has a very high potential, and the heat generated around that connector needs to be dissipated through thermally conductive components in a second area, and this second area can be a ground plane, which is typically connected to earth. Earth can be a common reference point in the circuit and can be used as a zero-voltage reference point.

[0086] Figure 3A 2D side view of an embodiment of the thermally conductive component (100) is shown, wherein at least two first portions (101, 102) are located on each side of the thermally conductive component region. Each of the at least two first portions is located on the upper and lower sides of the thermally conductive component. This allows the thermally conductive component to conduct heat between a first region connected to one of the at least two first portions (e.g., the left first portion (102)) and a second region connected to the other of the at least two first portions (e.g., the right first portion (101)). By providing at least two first portions on both sides and the upper and lower sides of the thermally conductive component, the first and second regions can be located on the same vertical side or opposite sides of the thermally conductive component. Figure 3 This particular structure, consisting of at least two first parts, is commonly referred to as a "no-wrap" surface mount device (SMD) component. This "no-wrap" standard allows for direct mounting onto the first and / or second areas, which can be printed circuit boards (PCBs).

[0087] Figure 4 A simulation setup is shown to demonstrate the efficiency of the thermoelectric component disclosed herein compared to a Q-bridge thermal conductor of similar size constructed of aluminum nitride (AlN). Figure 4 A simulation setup is shown in which two different thermal conductivities are compared. A Q-conductor fabricated on an AlN substrate (200) is compared with the thermally conductive component (100) disclosed herein. A first region (203) with a temperature set to 100°C is thermally connected to two separate regions on both sides via the Q-conductor (200) or the thermally conductive component (100), where the Q-conductor is connected to the left region (201) and the thermally conductive component is connected to the right region (202). The simulation results estimate the temperature of the left region (201) to be 87°C, while the temperature of the right region (202) is 82°C. This indicates that the thermally conductive component (100) disclosed herein effectively conducts heat from the first region (203) to the second region, which in this specific example is the right region (202). The 5-degree temperature difference between the left region (201) and the right region (202) can be explained by the higher thermal conductivity of the AlN substrate of the Q conductor (200), but the price and manufacturing complexity of the Q conductor (200) would far outweigh its improved heat dissipation efficiency compared to the thermally conductive component (100).

[0088] The third portion may be disposed or deposited on the fourth silicon substrate. At least two first portions may be disposed or deposited on the third portion. The first portion may be disposed or deposited on the third portion. The first portion may be disposed or deposited on the second portion, wherein the second portion may be deposited on the third portion. At least two first portions may be disposed or deposited on the third portion, such that the third portion may form an electrical barrier between the at least two first portions and the fourth silicon substrate portion.

[0089] On the other hand, the present invention provides a method for conducting heat between first and second regions, comprising the steps of: providing a thermally conductive component configured to conduct heat between the first and second regions, the thermally conductive component comprising: at least two first portions, wherein the first portions are conductive connector portions connectable to the first and second regions; a third portion, wherein the third portion is at least one layer of electrically insulating material disposed on the at least two first portions; and a fourth silicon substrate portion, wherein the fourth silicon substrate portion is disposed on the third portion such that the third portion forms an electrical barrier between the at least two first portions and the fourth silicon substrate portion; wherein the thermally conductive component is configured to transfer a primary portion of heat from the first region through the third portion to the fourth silicon substrate portion, and further through the fourth silicon substrate portion to the second region via the third portion; and conducting heat between the first and second regions.

[0090] In a preferred embodiment, the method further includes the step of providing a second portion, wherein the second portion is a thermally conductive and substantially non-conductive portion that interconnects at least two first portions.

[0091] The thermally conductive component described in this method may be any thermally conductive component disclosed herein.

[0092] Further details

[0093] 1. A thermoelectric component configured for conducting heat between a first region and a second region, comprising:

[0094] At least two first parts, wherein the first part is a conductive connector part that can be connected to a first region and a second region;

[0095] The third part, wherein the third part is at least one layer of electrical isolation disposed on at least two first parts; and

[0096] The fourth silicon substrate portion is disposed on the third portion such that the third portion forms an electrical barrier between at least two of the first portions and the fourth silicon substrate portion.

[0097] The thermally conductive component is configured to transfer the main heat portion from the first region to the fourth silicon substrate portion via the third portion, and further transfer it to the second region via the third portion through the fourth silicon substrate portion.

[0098] 2. The thermally conductive electrical component according to Item 1, wherein the thermally conductive electrical component further includes a second portion, wherein the second portion is thermally conductive and substantially non-conductive, and wherein the second portion is disposed or deposited between the first portion and the third portion.

[0099] 3. The thermally conductive component according to Project 2, wherein the second part is configured to assist the fourth silicon substrate part in transferring the main heat from the first part to the third part.

[0100] 4. The thermally conductive component according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the conductive connector portion is made of a conductive material.

[0101] 5. The thermally conductive component according to item 4, wherein the conductive material is made of a weldable material, preferably a metal, such as copper (Cu).

[0102] 6. The thermally conductive component according to any of the preceding claims, wherein at least two first portions include at least one trench, wherein at least one trench substantially penetrates the second portion.

[0103] 7. The thermally conductive component according to any of the preceding claims, wherein at least one groove is at least a partial groove.

[0104] 8. The thermally conductive component according to any of the preceding claims, wherein at least one portion of the trench is etched within the second portion.

[0105] 9. The thermally conductive component according to any of the preceding claims, wherein a first portion is deposited on a second portion, and wherein the first portion fills at least one portion of the trench.

[0106] 10. The thermally conductive component according to any of the preceding claims, wherein at least one partial trench has a partial trench height.

[0107] 11. The thermally conductive component according to any one of items 6-10, wherein at least one groove penetrates downward into the second portion to 10% of the thickness of the second portion, preferably 20%, more preferably 50%, even more preferably 75%, and most preferably 90%.

[0108] 12. The thermally conductive component according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the second portion is significantly thicker below at least two of the first portions.

[0109] 13. The thermally conductive component according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the conductive connector portion has a diameter of 0.027 to 25 mm. 2 More preferably, it is between 0.027 and 5.6 mm. 2 Between, or even more preferably, 0.027 to 0.79 mm 2 The area of ​​the connector between them.

[0110] 14. The thermally conductive component according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the conductive connector portion has a thickness between 10 and 50 μm.

[0111] 15. The thermally conductive electrical component according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the thermally conductive and substantially non-conductive second portion is made of a material comprising aluminum.

[0112] 16. The thermally conductive component according to item 15, wherein the aluminum-containing material is aluminum oxide (Al2O3) and / or aluminum nitride (AlN).

[0113] 17. The thermally conductive electrical component according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the electrically isolated third portion is made of a silicon-containing material.

[0114] 18. The thermally conductive component according to item 17, wherein the silicon-containing material is silicon nitride (Si3N4) and / or silicon dioxide (SiO2).

[0115] 19. The thermally conductive component according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the thermally conductive component further comprises a fifth part.

[0116] 20. The thermally conductive component according to item 19, wherein the fifth portion is disposed or deposited between the third portion and the fourth substrate portion.

[0117] 21. The thermally conductive component according to item 20, wherein the fifth part is a diffusion barrier layer.

[0118] 22. The thermally conductive component according to item 21, wherein the diffusion barrier layer is made of titanium nitride (TiN) and / or tantalum nitride (TaN).

[0119] 23. The thermally conductive component according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the thermally conductive component has a thickness of 0.08 to 38 mm. 2 The preferred thickness is between 0.08 and 28.8 mm. 2 More preferably 0.18 to 28.8 mm 2 Even more preferred is 0.18 to 8 mm. 2 The optimal size is 0.18 to 2.6 mm. 2 The upper and / or lower surfaces.

[0120] 24. The thermally conductive component according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the fourth silicon substrate portion has a thickness between 100 and 525 μm.

[0121] 25. The thermally conductive component according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the second portion has a second portion thickness between 20 and 400 nm.

[0122] 26. The thermally conductive component according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the height of a portion of the trench is significantly lower than the thickness of the second portion.

[0123] 27. The thermally conductive component according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the third portion has a thickness between 0.1 and 5 μm.

[0124] 28. The thermally conductive component according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the fifth portion has a fifth portion thickness between 20 and 200 nm.

[0125] 29. The thermally conductive component according to any of the preceding claims, wherein each of at least two first portions is located on opposite sides of the fourth silicon substrate portion.

[0126] 30. The thermally conductive component according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the second portion, the third portion and / or the fifth portion are located on opposite sides of the fourth silicon substrate portion.

[0127] 31. The thermally conductive component according to any of the preceding claims, wherein at least two connector portions are interconnected via a fourth silicon substrate portion.

[0128] 32. The thermally conductive component according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the interconnection between at least two connector portions is performed via a through-silicon via through a fourth silicon substrate portion.

[0129] 33. The thermally conductive component according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the through-silicon via includes a second portion, a third portion, and / or a fifth portion.

[0130] 34. The thermally conductive component according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the second part, the third part and / or the fifth part comprises at least one segment.

[0131] 35. The thermally conductive component according to any of the preceding claims, wherein each of at least two connector portions has a potential difference between 5 and 2000V, and / or between 5 and 48V, and / or between 650 and 1200V, or at least 400V.

[0132] 36. The thermally conductive component according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the third portion is disposed or deposited on the fourth silicon substrate portion.

[0133] 37. The thermally conductive component according to any of the preceding claims, wherein at least two first portions are arranged or deposited on the third portion.

[0134] 38. The thermally conductive component according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the first portion is disposed or deposited on the second portion, and wherein the second portion is deposited on the third portion.

[0135] 39. The thermally conductive electrical component according to any of the preceding claims, wherein at least two first portions are arranged or deposited on the third portion such that the third portion forms an electrical barrier between the at least two first portions and the fourth silicon substrate portion.

[0136] 40. A method for conducting heat between a first region and a second region, comprising the following steps:

[0137] A thermally conductive component is provided, the thermally conductive component being configured to conduct heat between a first region and a second region, the thermally conductive component comprising:

[0138] At least two first parts, wherein the first part is a conductive connector part that can be connected to a first region and a second region;

[0139] The third part, wherein the third part is at least one layer of electrical insulating material disposed on at least two of the first parts; and

[0140] The fourth silicon substrate portion is disposed on the third portion such that the third portion forms an electrical barrier between at least two first portions and the fourth silicon substrate portion.

[0141] The thermally conductive component is configured to transfer the main heat portion from the first region through the third portion to the fourth silicon substrate portion, and further transfer it through the fourth silicon substrate portion to the second region via the third portion; and

[0142] Heat is conducted between the first and second regions.

[0143] 41. The method of claim 40, wherein the method further comprises the step of providing a second portion, wherein the second portion is a thermally conductive and substantially non-conductive portion that interconnects at least two first portions.

[0144] 42. The method according to any one of items 40-41, wherein the thermally conductive component is the thermally conductive component according to any one of items 1-39.

Claims

1. A thermally conductive component (100) configured to conduct heat between a first region (203) and a second region (202), comprising: Fourth silicon substrate portion (104); The third part (103), wherein the third part (103) is at least one electrically insulating layer deposited on the fourth silicon substrate portion (104); and At least two first portions (101; 102), wherein the first portions (101; 102) are conductive connector portions capable of connecting to the first region (203) and the second region (202), and the first portions are deposited on the third portion (103) such that the third portion (103) forms an electrical barrier between the at least two first portions (101; 102) and the fourth silicon substrate portion (104); The thermally conductive component (100) is configured to transfer a major portion of heat from the first region (203) through the third portion (103) to the fourth silicon substrate portion (104), and further through the fourth silicon substrate portion (104) via the third portion (103) to the second region (202).

2. The thermally conductive component (100) according to claim 1, wherein, The thermally conductive component (100) further includes a second portion (105), wherein the second portion (105) is thermally conductive and substantially non-conductive, and wherein the second portion (105) is deposited between the first portion (101; 102) and the third portion (103).

3. The thermally conductive component (100) according to claim 2, wherein, At least one trench (109) is etched in the second portion (105), and wherein a first portion (101; 102) is deposited on the second portion (105), and wherein the at least one trench (109) is filled by the first portion (101; 102).

4. The thermally conductive component (100) according to claim 3, wherein, The at least one groove (109) has a groove height.

5. The thermally conductive component (100) according to any one of claims 2-4, wherein, The second portion (105) is configured to assist in transferring the main heat from the first portion (101) to the third portion (103), thereby assisting the fourth silicon substrate portion (104) in transferring the main heat from the first region (203) to the second region (202).

6. The thermally conductive component (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The conductive connector portions (101; 102) are made of a conductive material, preferably a solderable material, and more preferably a metal, such as copper (Cu).

7. The thermally conductive component (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The second portion (105) is significantly thicker at the location where it contacts the at least two first portions (101; 102).

8. The thermally conductive component (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The thermally conductive and substantially non-conductive second part (105) is made of a material containing aluminum, such as aluminum oxide (Al2O3) and / or aluminum nitride (AlN).

9. The thermally conductive component (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The third part (103) of the electrical isolation is made of a silicon-containing material, such as silicon nitride (Si3N4) and / or silicon dioxide (SiO2).

10. The thermally conductive component (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The thermally conductive component (100) further includes a fifth portion (106) disposed or deposited between the third portion (103) and the fourth substrate portion (104), wherein the fifth portion (106) is a diffusion barrier layer.

11. The thermally conductive component (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The interconnection between the at least two connector portions is performed via a through-silicon via (108) through the fourth silicon substrate portion (104).

12. The thermally conductive component (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The fourth silicon substrate portion (104) has a thickness between 100 and 525 μm.

13. The thermally conductive component (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The second portion (105) has a second portion thickness between 20 and 400 nm.

14. The thermally conductive component (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The third portion (103) has a thickness between 0.1 and 5 μm.

15. The thermally conductive component (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The height of the trench is significantly lower than the thickness of the second part.

16. A method (300) for conducting heat between a first region (203) and a second region (202), comprising the steps of: A thermally conductive component (100) is provided (301), the thermally conductive component being configured to conduct heat (302) between a first region (203) and a second region (202), the thermally conductive component comprising: Fourth silicon substrate portion (104); The third part (103), wherein the third part (103) is at least one electrically insulating layer deposited on the fourth silicon substrate portion (104); and At least two first portions (101; 102), wherein the first portions (101; 102) are conductive connector portions capable of connecting to the first region (203) and the second region (202), and the first portions are deposited on the third portion (103) such that the third portion (103) forms an electrical barrier between the at least two first portions (101; 102) and the fourth silicon substrate portion (104); The thermally conductive component is configured to transfer a major portion of heat from the first region (203) through the third portion (103) to the fourth silicon substrate portion (104), and further through the fourth silicon substrate portion (104) via the third portion (103) to the second region (202); and Heat is conducted between the first region (203) and the second region (202).

17. The method (300) according to claim 16, wherein, The thermally conductive component (100) is the thermally conductive component (100) according to any one of claims 1-15.

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