Thermal interface material bondline thickness testing apparatus and testing method

Abstract

The present application relates to a kind of thermal interface material bonding layer thickness testing device and testing method, the device includes base, positioning component and ranging component, wherein, positioning component includes positioning piece, enclosure and pressure adjusting piece, positioning piece is vertically fixed to base, positioning piece can selectively slidingly connect enclosure or pressure adjusting piece, and when enclosure and pressure adjusting piece move along positioning piece, the plane where enclosure is and the plane where pressure adjusting piece is always parallel to the plane where base is;Pressure adjusting piece is used to apply uniform controllable pressure to the thermal interface material to be measured;Ranging component is set to the top of pressure adjusting piece.The above-mentioned thermal interface material bonding layer thickness testing device realizes direct, non-destructive and high-precision measurement of thermal interface material bonding layer geometry thickness under simulated real assembly conditions, overcomes the limitation that only equivalent thermal thickness can be obtained, so that the measurement result truly reflects the physical state of material in actual interface.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of semiconductor technology, and in particular to a testing device and method for testing the thickness of thermal interface material adhesive layers. Background Technology

[0002] With the rapid development of high-power-density electronic devices such as CPUs, GPUs, AI chips, and power modules, heat dissipation has become a core bottleneck restricting performance and reliability. Thermal interface materials (TIMs) fill the microscopic interface between the chip and the heat sink, and the bond line thickness (BLT) formed during actual assembly is a key parameter determining the interface thermal resistance.

[0003] BLT (Body Thickness) refers to the actual thickness of the adhesive layer formed between two bonded surfaces by thermal interface materials (such as thermally conductive adhesives, thermal pastes, and binders). Controlling BLT requires extreme precision: excessive thickness directly increases thermal resistance and may degrade the material's effective thermal conductivity; insufficient thickness fails to adequately fill interfacial voids, leaving air pockets that create localized thermal barriers. Therefore, developing a technology for accurate, rapid, and non-destructive BLT measurement is crucial for materials research and development, process optimization, and product quality control. However, existing measurement methods have significant shortcomings in terms of measurement accuracy, sample destructiveness, operational efficiency, and equipment cost, making it difficult to meet the urgent needs of the modern electronic heat dissipation industry for efficient and accurate characterization of interface states. Summary of the Invention

[0004] Based on this, this application provides a testing device and method for testing the thickness of the adhesive layer of thermal interface materials that can achieve non-destructive and high-precision testing.

[0005] In a first aspect, this application provides a device for testing the thickness of a thermal interface material adhesive layer, comprising:

[0006] Base;

[0007] The positioning assembly includes a positioning element, a frame, and a pressure regulating element. The positioning element is vertically fixed to the base and can be selectively slidably connected to the frame or the pressure regulating element. When the frame or the pressure regulating element moves along the positioning element, the plane where the frame or the pressure regulating element is located is always parallel to the plane where the base is located. The frame is used to load the thermal interface material to be tested. The pressure regulating element is used to apply uniform and controllable pressure to the thermal interface material to be tested.

[0008] The ranging component, positioned directly above the pressure regulating component, is used to measure the thickness of the material bonding layer of the thermal interface material to be measured.

[0009] In one embodiment, the frame is provided with an opening, which together with the base forms a cavity for loading the thermal interface material to be tested.

[0010] In one embodiment, the positioning element includes:

[0011] Multiple locating pins are arranged at intervals along the edge of the base and are vertically fixed to the base.

[0012] In one embodiment, the frame is provided with a plurality of first through holes, each of which corresponds to a plurality of positioning pins. The positioning pins are inserted through the first through holes so that the frame and the positioning pins are slidably connected.

[0013] In one embodiment, the pressure regulating member is a rigid body and is provided with a plurality of second through holes, each of which corresponds to a plurality of positioning pins. The positioning pins pass through the second through holes so that the pressure regulating member and the positioning pins are slidably connected.

[0014] In one embodiment, the thickness of the frame is 0.5-1.5 times the thickness of the base; and / or, the thickness of the pressure regulating member is 0.1-0.5 times the thickness of the base; and / or, the length of the positioning member is 4-8 times the thickness of the base.

[0015] Secondly, this application provides a method for testing the thickness of a thermal interface material adhesive layer, implemented using the thermal interface material adhesive layer thickness testing device in any of the embodiments of the first aspect described above, including the following steps:

[0016] The pressure regulator is installed onto the positioning component, and the ranging component measures the first distance from the ranging component to the upper surface of the pressure regulator at this time.

[0017] Remove the pressure regulator, install the enclosure onto the base, and inject the thermal interface material to be tested into the enclosure;

[0018] After the material to be tested for the thermal interface is injected, remove the frame, install the pressure regulating component onto the positioning component, and press the pressure regulating component down along the positioning component;

[0019] Once the pressure applied to the pressure regulating component reaches the preset pressure value and remains stable, the ranging component measures the second distance from the ranging component to the upper surface of the pressure regulating component.

[0020] The thickness of the adhesive layer of the thermal interface material to be tested is calculated based on the first distance and the second distance.

[0021] In one embodiment, measuring the first distance from the ranging component to the upper surface of the pressure regulating element specifically includes:

[0022] Guide the pressure regulating component along the positioning component until the bottom surface of the pressure regulating component contacts the surface of the base or the bottom surface of the pressure regulating component reaches the preset position.

[0023] The ranging component measures and records the first distance.

[0024] In one embodiment, removing the pressure regulator, installing the enclosure onto the base, and injecting the thermal interface material to be tested into the enclosure specifically includes:

[0025] After the ranging component completes the first distance measurement, remove the pressure adjustment component along the positioning element and install the frame onto the base along the positioning element;

[0026] The thermal interface material to be tested is injected into the cavity formed by the opening of the frame and the substrate.

[0027] In one embodiment, the step of injecting the thermal interface material to be tested into the cavity formed by the opening of the frame and the substrate includes:

[0028] Ensure that the material to be tested completely covers the bottom of the cavity, and that the top surface of the material to be tested is flat.

[0029] The aforementioned thermal interface material adhesive layer thickness testing device, through a non-contact ranging component and a controllable pressure regulating component, simulates real assembly conditions. This enables direct, non-destructive, and high-precision measurement of the geometric thickness of the thermal interface material adhesive layer under simulated real assembly conditions, overcoming the limitation of only obtaining equivalent thermal thickness. The measurement results accurately reflect the physical state of the material at the actual interface. Simultaneously, a precision guiding system composed of positioning components ensures that the pressure regulating component remains perfectly parallel to the base without deflection during lifting and lowering, thereby achieving uniform pressure application and high consistency with the measurement reference.

[0030] This method has a simple operation process and high repeatability. It can not only provide accurate data support for material research and development, but also directly guide the optimization of key parameters such as pressure and flatness in the production process, thereby significantly improving the reliability and consistency of the heat dissipation interface. It has important engineering application value for the heat dissipation design and manufacturing of electronic devices. Attached Figure Description

[0031] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a thermal interface material adhesive layer thickness testing device according to an embodiment of this application;

[0032] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a thermal interface material adhesive layer thickness testing device according to another embodiment of this application;

[0033] Figure 3 This is a flowchart illustrating the steps of a method for testing the thickness of a thermal interface material adhesive layer according to an embodiment of this application.

[0034] Figure 4 A flowchart illustrating the steps of measuring a first distance using a ranging component according to an embodiment of this application;

[0035] Figure 5 This is a flowchart illustrating the steps of injecting the thermal interface material to be tested according to an embodiment of this application.

[0036] Figure label:

[0037] 10. Base; 110. Bracket; 210. Positioning component; 211. Positioning pin; 220. Frame; 221. Opening; 222. First through hole; 230. Pressure regulating component; 231. Second through hole; 30. Distance measuring component; 40. Display device. Detailed Implementation

[0038] To make the above-mentioned objects, features, and advantages of the present invention more apparent and understandable, specific embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Many specific details are set forth in the following description to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. However, the present invention can be practiced in many other ways different from those described herein, and those skilled in the art can make similar modifications without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0039] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "clockwise," "counterclockwise," "axial," "radial," and "circumferential" indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are used only for the convenience of describing this invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this invention.

[0040] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. In the description of this invention, "a plurality of" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0041] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "linking," and "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components, unless otherwise explicitly limited. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0042] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can mean that the first feature is in direct contact with the second feature, or that the first feature is in indirect contact with the second feature through an intermediate medium. Furthermore, "above," "over," and "on top" of the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0043] It should be noted that when an element is referred to as being "fixed to" or "set on" another element, it can be directly on the other element or there may be an intervening element. When an element is considered to be "connected to" another element, it can be directly connected to the other element or there may be an intervening element. The terms "vertical," "horizontal," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," and similar expressions used herein are for illustrative purposes only and do not represent the only possible implementation.

[0044] This application focuses on the precise measurement of the bonding layer thickness (BLT) of thermal interface materials (TIM). Traditional measurement methods (such as micrometer contact methods and micro-sectioning methods) have significant shortcomings in terms of measurement accuracy, sample destructiveness, operational efficiency, and equipment cost, making it difficult to meet the industry's urgent need for efficient and accurate characterization. If ball bearing contact measurement is used, the contact pressure can cause material deformation when the measured material is soft, resulting in a measurement result lower than the true thickness; moreover, it cannot directly measure the absolute total thickness of the interlayer material (such as TIM), lacking a fixed absolute reference plane corresponding to the underlying substrate. If the sample is clamped, clamping pressure is applied to the TIM sample and it may undergo thermal cycling, which is a destructive test and cannot be repeated or used for subsequent analysis; and indirect thermal testing methods can only calculate the equivalent thermal resistance or thickness, but cannot obtain the true geometric dimensions of the BLT, its actual distribution and uniformity on the interface, or detect the presence of geometric defects such as voids or missing adhesive. Based on this, this application combines a sophisticated mechanical structure with non-contact ranging to measure the actual geometric thickness of thermal interface materials under specific pressure in a non-destructive, high-precision, and direct manner.

[0045] In one exemplary embodiment, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, this application provides a thermal interface material adhesive layer thickness testing device, including a base 10, a positioning component and a ranging component 30.

[0046] The base 10 serves as the mounting foundation and reference plane for the entire device, providing a stable geometric benchmark for all measurements. The positioning assembly, mounted on the base 10, is one of the core mechanical structures ensuring measurement accuracy. The positioning assembly includes a positioning element 210, a frame 220, and a pressure regulating element 230. The positioning element 210 is vertically fixed to the base 10, forming a precision guiding system that ensures the pressure regulating element 230 moves only vertically throughout the entire lifting process, without horizontal deflection or tilting, thereby guaranteeing the uniformity of pressure application and consistency with the measurement benchmark. The positioning element 210 can selectively slide to connect either the frame 220 or the pressure regulating element 230, and when the frame 220 and the pressure regulating element 230 move along the positioning element 210, the plane containing the frame 220 and the plane containing the pressure regulating element 230 are always parallel to the plane containing the base 10.

[0047] The enclosure 220 is a frame with a standard internal volume, whose sidewalls are slidably connected to the positioning element 210. The enclosure 220 can move vertically along the positioning element 210 and can conform to the surface of the base 10 to load and contain a fixed amount of the thermal interface material to be tested. Figure 2 The thermal interface material to be tested is represented by "X". The pressure regulating element 230 is used to apply uniform and controllable pressure to the thermal interface material to be tested.

[0048] For example, the pressure regulating member 230 can be a rigid pad with a specific thickness and cross-sectional shape, slidably connected to the positioning member 210. The positioning member 210 constrains the pressure regulating member 230 to move in a direction perpendicular to the base, and ensures that the plane containing its lower surface remains parallel to the plane of the base 10 during movement. The pressure regulating member 230 can apply a uniform, controllable, and known pressure to the thermal interface material to be tested within the lower frame 220, which can conveniently simulate different assembly pressure conditions.

[0049] The ranging component 30 is positioned directly above the pressure regulating component 230 and is used to measure the thickness of the adhesive layer of the thermal interface material to be measured. Exemplarily, a bracket 110 can be provided to fix the ranging component 30. The ranging component 30 can be a fixed laser ranging sensor with its lens facing the upper surface of the pressure regulating component 230 below. The ranging component 30 is connected to a display device 40 via a cable to display the measured values. Its operation is based on a differential measurement method: first, without material being placed, the distance from the sensor to the top surface of the pressure regulating component 230 when it contacts the base 10 is measured as an absolute geometric reference value; then, after the material is placed and pressure is applied, the distance at the same position is measured again. The difference between the two distance measurements, after eliminating the system constant of the device itself, directly and non-destructively corresponds to the actual geometric thickness of the adhesive layer of the thermal interface material under pressure.

[0050] The aforementioned thermal interface material adhesive layer thickness testing device, through a non-contact ranging component 30 and a controllable pressure regulating component 230, simulates real assembly conditions. This enables direct, non-destructive, and high-precision measurement of the geometric thickness of the thermal interface material adhesive layer under simulated real assembly conditions, overcoming the limitation of only obtaining equivalent thermal thickness. The measurement results accurately reflect the physical state of the material at the actual interface. Simultaneously, a precision guiding system formed by the positioning component 210 ensures that the pressure regulating component 230 remains perfectly parallel to the base 10 during lifting and lowering without deflection, thus achieving uniform pressure application and high consistency with the measurement reference.

[0051] This embodiment achieves uniform and precise application of pressure and motion guidance through a positioning component, and enables non-contact, high-precision direct measurement of thickness through a ranging component 30. The two components work together to effectively overcome the shortcomings of contact measurement in the prior art, which leads to deformation, and the inability to obtain true geometric dimensions through indirect measurement. The operation process is simple and highly repeatable, providing precise data support for material research and development, and directly guiding the optimization of key parameters such as pressure and flatness in the production process. This significantly improves the reliability and consistency of the heat dissipation interface, and has significant engineering application value for the heat dissipation design and manufacturing of electronic devices.

[0052] In one exemplary embodiment, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2As shown, the frame 220 is provided with an opening 221, which together with the base 10 forms a cavity for loading the thermal interface material to be tested.

[0053] Specifically, the opening 221 is located at the top of the frame 220, and its shape matches the internal contour of the frame 220's cross-section, forming an open structure at the top. This opening 221, together with the upper surface of the base 10 below, defines and encloses a cavity for loading a fixed amount of the thermal interface material to be tested. During testing, the material to be tested (such as silicone grease, thermal conductive gel, etc.) is filled into this cavity. Its bottom surface is supported by the base 10, and its sides are constrained by the inner wall of the frame 220, thus forming a sample area with controllable shape and volume. This provides a geometric basis for subsequent implementation of uniform and controllable pressure and precise measurement, ensuring consistent sample filling conditions for each test, and improving the repeatability and comparability of measurement results.

[0054] In one exemplary embodiment, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the positioning element 210 includes a plurality of positioning pins 211. The plurality of positioning pins 211 are arranged at intervals along the edge of the base 10, and the positioning pins 211 are vertically fixed to the base 10.

[0055] For example, the locating pins 211 are cylindrical, and there are at least four of them. Multiple locating pins 211 are arranged evenly and at intervals along the edge region of the base 10 and are vertically and securely fixed to the base 10. When the frame 220 and the pressure regulating member 230 slide against these locating pins 211 through their corresponding guide holes, the locating pins 211 strictly limit their movement to a direction perpendicular to the plane of the base 10 (i.e., the vertical direction), while effectively preventing any horizontal offset, tilting, or rotation during movement or under pressure, ensuring the absolute verticality of the pressure transmission direction and the absolute parallelism of the application surface, thereby achieving reliable measurement.

[0056] In one exemplary embodiment, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the frame 220 is provided with a plurality of first through holes 222, and the plurality of first through holes 222 correspond one-to-one with a plurality of positioning pins 211. The positioning pins 211 are inserted through the first through holes 222 so that the frame 220 and the positioning pins 211 are slidably connected.

[0057] For example, the number, position, and spacing of the first through holes 222 correspond one-to-one with the plurality of positioning pins 211 fixed on the base 10. Each positioning pin 211 passes through a corresponding first through hole 222. The frame 220 is "sleeved" onto the positioning pins 211 through the first through holes 222, constraining the movement of the frame 220 along the axial direction (i.e., the vertical direction) of the positioning pins 211. At the same time, the cooperation between the plurality of positioning pins 211 and the through holes effectively prevents the frame 220 from translating, rotating, or tilting relative to the plane of the base 10 in the horizontal plane, ensuring its positional accuracy and attitude stability during material loading and subsequent pressing. A clearance fit can be used between the first through holes 222 and the positioning pins 211 to ensure smooth sliding while minimizing wobbling.

[0058] In one exemplary embodiment, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the pressure regulating component 230 is a rigid body, and the pressure regulating component 230 is provided with a plurality of second through holes 231. The plurality of second through holes 231 correspond one-to-one with a plurality of positioning pins 211. The positioning pins 211 pass through the second through holes 231 so that the pressure regulating component 230 and the positioning pins 211 are slidably connected.

[0059] For example, the pressure regulating member 230 can be a rigid cylindrical body (e.g., a cylinder, square column, etc.). The number and arrangement of the second through holes 231 also correspond one-to-one with the multiple positioning pins 211, thereby realizing the sliding connection between the pressure regulating member 230 and the positioning pins 211. The pressure regulating member 230 is a rigid body, so its deformation is minimal when subjected to force, enabling it to transmit pressure completely and evenly downwards without affecting the uniformity of pressure distribution due to its own deformation. Through the precise cooperation between the multiple second through holes 231 and the multiple positioning pins 211, it is ensured that the lower surface of the pressure regulating member 230 remains absolutely parallel to the upper surface of the base 10 during the process of pressing down or lifting along the positioning pins 211, thereby applying a uniform positive pressure to the thermal interface material below.

[0060] In one exemplary embodiment, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2As shown, the thickness of the frame 220 is 0.5-1.5 times the thickness of the base 10, ensuring that the cavity formed by the frame 220 and the base 10 has a suitable depth, which can accommodate a sufficient amount of the test material while ensuring the overall stability of the structure. And / or, the thickness of the pressure regulating component 230 is 0.1-0.5 times the thickness of the base 10. Different thicknesses correspond to different initial installation heights, thereby simulating or realizing different pressure application strokes and pressure values, enabling the device to adapt to various test conditions. And / or, the length of the positioning component 210 is 4-8 times the thickness of the base 10, ensuring that the positioning pin 211 has sufficient length to simultaneously accommodate the frame 220, the pressure regulating component 230, and all their required movement strokes, providing an interference-free measurement space for laser ranging while maintaining the rigidity and accuracy of the guiding system.

[0061] In addition, the frame 220, pressure regulating component 230, base 10 and positioning pin 211 are all made of solid materials with low coefficient of thermal expansion and high dimensional stability, such as stainless steel, valve alloy, glass and so on.

[0062] In one exemplary embodiment, such as Figure 3 As shown, this application also provides a method for testing the thickness of a thermal interface material adhesive layer, implemented using the thermal interface material adhesive layer thickness testing device in any of the above embodiments, including the following steps:

[0063] Step 302: Install the pressure regulating component 230 onto the positioning component 210, and the ranging component 30 measures the first distance from the ranging component 30 to the upper surface of the pressure regulating component 230 at this time.

[0064] For example, the pressure regulating member 230 is guided along the positioning member 210 until its bottom surface contacts the surface of the base 10 or reaches a preset mechanical limit. The ranging assembly 30, such as a laser ranging device, is activated, and the first distance from the lens of the laser ranging device to the upper surface of the pressure regulating member 230 at this time is measured and recorded as A1.

[0065] Step 304: Remove the pressure regulating component 230, install the frame 220 onto the base 10, and inject the thermal interface material to be tested into the frame 220.

[0066] Step 306: After the thermal interface material to be tested is injected, remove the frame 220, install the pressure regulating component 230 onto the positioning component 210, and press the pressure regulating component 230 down along the positioning component 210.

[0067] Step 308: After the pressure applied to the pressure regulating component 230 reaches the preset pressure value and remains stable, the ranging component 30 measures the second distance from the ranging component 30 to the upper surface of the pressure regulating component 230.

[0068] Specifically, after the frame 220 is moved vertically out along the positioning member 210, the pressure regulating member 230 corresponding to a specific pressure is selected and guided along the positioning member 210 to press down vertically and smoothly. During this process, the pressure regulating member 230 applies uniform pressure to the TIM in the cavity. After the applied pressure reaches the preset value and remains stable, the laser rangefinder is activated to measure and record the distance from the laser rangefinder lens to the upper surface of the pressure regulating member 230, denoted as A2. During the pressing process, the guiding system of the positioning member 210 controls the application of pressure vertically and uniformly to the TIM sample. The physical meaning of distance A2 is the new height value of the entire system in the laser ranging direction after the TIM material is compressed and stabilized under simulated assembly pressure. Compared with A1, the difference in A2 directly comes from the change in the thickness of the TIM layer below the rigid pad.

[0069] Step 310: Calculate the thickness of the adhesive layer of the thermal interface material to be tested based on the first distance and the second distance.

[0070] Specifically, since the installation position of the laser rangefinder remains fixed and the thickness of the pressure regulating component 230 is a constant, the actual thickness of the thermal interface material after it is pressed and stabilized can be calculated by the difference between the two laser rangefinder values: BLT=A2-A1.

[0071] BLT refers to the geometric thickness of the bonding layer of a thermal interface material under a specific pressure. This method constructs a closed-loop measurement system that integrates three interconnected steps: cavity reference establishment, controlled compression, and differential analysis. First, a laser ranging system is used to calibrate the reference height of the standard cavity system. Then, the system is assembled and compressed under controlled pressure, and the height under pressure is accurately measured. Finally, the actual bonding layer thickness under pressure is directly calculated by the difference between the two measurements. This method achieves non-destructive, high-precision direct measurement of the geometric thickness of soft materials.

[0072] In one exemplary embodiment, such as Figure 4 As shown, the ranging component 30 measures the first distance from the upper surface of the pressure regulating component 230, specifically including:

[0073] Step 402: Guide the pressure regulating member 230 along the positioning member 210 until the bottom surface of the pressure regulating member 230 contacts the surface of the base 10 or the bottom surface of the pressure regulating member 230 reaches the preset position.

[0074] Step 404: The ranging component 30 measures and records the first distance.

[0075] Specifically, the first distance A1 is physically defined as an absolute geometric reference value of the entire measurement system in the laser ranging direction when the rigid pressure regulating component 230 is placed. This value comprehensively includes information such as the fixed installation position of the laser ranging device and the thickness of the pad.

[0076] In one exemplary embodiment, such as Figure 5 As shown, removing the pressure regulating component 230, installing the frame 220 onto the base 10, and injecting the thermal interface material to be tested into the frame 220 specifically includes:

[0077] Step 502: After the ranging component 30 has measured the first distance, the pressure regulating component 230 is removed along the positioning component 210, and the frame 220 is installed onto the base 10 along the positioning component 210.

[0078] Step 504: Inject the thermal interface material to be tested into the cavity formed by the opening 221 of the frame 220 and the substrate.

[0079] Specifically, after the pressure regulating component 230 is moved vertically out along the positioning pin 211, it is placed vertically into the frame 220 along the positioning component 210. Sufficient amount of the thermal interface material to be tested (TIM) is filled into the standard volume cavity formed by the frame 220 and the base 10. The type of TIM can be silicone grease, thermal conductive gel, etc.

[0080] In an exemplary embodiment, the step of injecting the thermal interface material to be tested into the cavity formed by the opening of the frame and the substrate includes: ensuring that the thermal interface material to be tested completely covers the bottom of the cavity and that the top surface of the thermal interface material to be tested is flat, so as to establish a defined and consistent initial filling state, eliminate local voids or uneven thickness caused by insufficient filling, thereby ensuring that the starting conditions of each test are the same, and making the measurement results comparable and repeatable.

[0081] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0082] The above embodiments merely illustrate several implementation methods of the present invention, and their descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, but they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention patent. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of the present invention, and these all fall within the protection scope of the present invention. Therefore, the protection scope of this invention patent should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A device for testing the thickness of a thermal interface material adhesive layer, characterized in that, include: Base; A positioning assembly includes a positioning element, a frame, and a pressure regulating element. The positioning element is vertically fixed to the base. The positioning element is selectively slidably connected to either the frame or the pressure regulating element. When the frame or the pressure regulating element moves along the positioning element, the plane containing either the frame or the pressure regulating element is always parallel to the plane containing the base. The frame is used to load the thermal interface material to be tested. The pressure regulating element is used to apply uniform and controllable pressure to the thermal interface material to be tested. The ranging component is positioned directly above the pressure regulating component and is used to measure the thickness of the material bonding layer of the thermal interface material to be tested.

2. The thermal interface material adhesive layer thickness testing device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The frame is provided with an opening, which, together with the base, forms a cavity for loading the thermal interface material to be tested.

3. The thermal interface material adhesive layer thickness testing device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The positioning element includes: Multiple positioning pins are arranged at intervals along the edge of the base and are vertically fixed to the base.

4. The thermal interface material adhesive layer thickness testing device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The frame is provided with a plurality of first through holes, and each of the plurality of first through holes corresponds to a plurality of positioning pins. The positioning pins are inserted through the first through holes so that the frame is slidably connected to the positioning pins.

5. The thermal interface material adhesive layer thickness testing device according to claim 4, characterized in that, The pressure regulating component is a rigid body, and the pressure regulating component is provided with a plurality of second through holes, each of which corresponds to a plurality of positioning pins. The positioning pins pass through the second through holes so that the pressure regulating component and the positioning pins are slidably connected.

6. The thermal interface material adhesive layer thickness testing device according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that, The thickness of the frame is 0.5-1.5 times the thickness of the base; and / or, the thickness of the pressure regulating component is 0.1-0.5 times the thickness of the base; and / or, the length of the positioning component is 4-8 times the thickness of the base.

7. A method for testing the thickness of a thermal interface material adhesive layer, implemented using the thermal interface material adhesive layer thickness testing device as described in any one of claims 1-6, characterized in that, Including the following steps: The pressure regulator is installed onto the positioning component, and the ranging component measures the first distance from the ranging component to the upper surface of the pressure regulator at this time. Remove the pressure regulating component, install the enclosure onto the base, and inject the thermal interface material to be tested into the enclosure; After the thermal interface material to be tested is injected, the frame is removed, the pressure regulating component is installed on the positioning component, and the pressure regulating component is pressed down along the positioning component; After the pressure applied to the pressure regulating component reaches the preset pressure value and remains stable, the ranging component measures the second distance from the ranging component to the upper surface of the pressure regulating component at this time. The thickness of the adhesive layer of the thermal interface material to be tested is calculated based on the first distance and the second distance.

8. The method for testing the thickness of the adhesive layer of a thermal interface material according to claim 7, characterized in that, The measurement of the first distance from the ranging component to the upper surface of the pressure regulating component specifically includes: Guide the pressure regulating member along the positioning member until the bottom surface of the pressure regulating member contacts the surface of the base or the bottom surface of the pressure regulating member reaches a preset position. The ranging component measures and records the first distance.

9. The method for testing the thickness of the adhesive layer of a thermal interface material according to claim 7, characterized in that, The steps of removing the pressure regulating component, installing the frame onto the base, and injecting the thermal interface material to be tested into the frame specifically include: After the ranging component completes measuring the first distance, the pressure regulating component is removed along the positioning member, and the frame is installed onto the base along the positioning member; The thermal interface material to be tested is injected into the cavity formed by the opening of the frame and the substrate.

10. The method for testing the thickness of the adhesive layer of a thermal interface material according to claim 9, characterized in that, The step of injecting the thermal interface material to be tested into the cavity formed by the opening of the frame and the substrate includes: The thermal interface material to be tested completely covers the bottom of the cavity, and the top surface of the thermal interface material to be tested is flat.

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