Vapor chamber

Abstract

To provide a vapor chamber having a particularly excellent heat transport capacity.SOLUTION: A vapor chamber of the present invention has a container having an internal cavity part, a fiber substrate arranged in the cavity part and made of glass fiber, and working fluid arranged in the cavity part. A thickness of the glass fiber is preferably 1 μm or more and 100 μm or less. A basis weight of the fiber substrate is preferably 1 g / m2 or more and 300 g / m2 or less. A height of the cavity part is preferably 10 μm or more and 2000 μm or less. A thickness of the fiber substrate is preferably 10 μm or more and 1000 μm or less.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a vapor chamber and a member for manufacturing the vapor chamber. [Background technology]

[0002] For example, heat-generating components such as central processing units (CPUs), light-emitting diodes (LEDs), and power semiconductors used in mobile devices such as portable terminals and tablet terminals are cooled by heat pipes.

[0003] In recent years, in order to make mobile terminals and the like thinner, vapor chambers that can be made thinner than heat pipes have been developed (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0004] A working fluid is sealed inside the vapor chamber, and this working fluid absorbs the heat from the heat-generating components and transfers the heat, thereby cooling the heat-generating components.

[0005] More specifically, the working fluid in the vapor chamber receives heat from the heat-generating component in the part close to the heat-generating component (evaporation part) and evaporates into vapor, and the vapor then moves to a position away from the evaporation part, where it is cooled and condenses into liquid.

[0006] A liquid flow path section with a capillary structure (wick) is provided within the vapor chamber, and the liquefied working fluid passes through this liquid flow path section and is transported toward the evaporation section, where it is again exposed to heat and evaporated.

[0007] In this way, the working fluid circulates within the vapor chamber while undergoing repeated phase changes, i.e., evaporation and condensation, thereby transferring heat from the device and improving heat dissipation efficiency.

[0008] However, further improvement in the heat transport capacity of vapor chambers is required. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0009] [Patent Document 1] WO2017 / 104819 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0010] An object of the present invention is to provide a vapor chamber having particularly excellent heat transport capacity, and to provide a component for manufacturing a vapor chamber that can be suitably used in manufacturing the vapor chamber. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] These objects can be achieved by the present invention as set forth in (1) to (11) below. (1) A container having an internal cavity; a fiber substrate made of glass fiber and disposed in the hollow portion; A vapor chamber characterized by having a working fluid disposed in the hollow portion.

[0012] (2) The vapor chamber according to (1) above, wherein the glass fiber has a thickness of 1 μm or more and 100 μm or less.

[0013] (3) The basis weight of the fiber substrate is 1 g / m 2 More than 300g / m 2 The vapor chamber according to (1) or (2) above, which is:

[0014] (4) The vapor chamber according to any one of (1) to (3) above, wherein the height of the cavity is 10 μm or more and 2000 μm or less.

[0015] (5) The vapor chamber according to any one of (1) to (4) above, wherein the thickness of the fiber substrate is 10 μm or more and 1000 μm or less.

[0016] (6) A vapor chamber according to any one of (1) to (5) above, wherein the container is mainly made of Cu or a Cu alloy.

[0017] (7) The container is made of joined sheet materials, The vapor chamber according to any one of (1) to (6) above, wherein the thickness of the sheet material is 12 μm or more and 500 μm or less.

[0018] (8) A vapor chamber described in any one of (1) to (7) above, which has a deformation prevention member arranged in the hollow portion and has the function of preventing deformation of the container in the thickness direction.

[0019] (9) The vapor chamber according to (8), wherein the deformation prevention member is integrally formed with the fiber base material.

[0020] (10) The deformation prevention member has a portion that functions as a flow path wall for the hydraulic fluid, The vapor chamber according to (8) or (9) above, wherein the fiber substrate is arranged to penetrate the portion that functions as a flow path wall for the working fluid.

[0021] (11) A vapor chamber manufacturing component used in manufacturing a vapor chamber, A component for manufacturing a vapor chamber, comprising a fiber substrate made of glass fiber and an uncured resin material. [Effects of the Invention]

[0022] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a vapor chamber having particularly excellent heat transport capacity, and also to provide a component for manufacturing a vapor chamber that can be suitably used in manufacturing the vapor chamber. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0023] [Figure 1]1 is a vertical cross-sectional view schematically showing an example of a vapor chamber of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view schematically showing another example of the vapor chamber of the present invention. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view schematically showing another example of the vapor chamber of the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view schematically showing another example of the vapor chamber of the present invention. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a plan view schematically showing a wick structure provided in the vapor chamber of the present invention. [Figure 6] FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically illustrating an example of a member for manufacturing a vapor chamber. [Figure 7] FIG. 1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view schematically showing an example of a member for manufacturing a vapor chamber. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view schematically showing another example of a member for manufacturing a vapor chamber. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view schematically showing another example of a member for manufacturing a vapor chamber. [Figure 10] 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view schematically showing an example of a method for manufacturing a vapor chamber of the present invention. [Figure 11] 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view schematically showing an example of a method for manufacturing a vapor chamber of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0024] The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. [1] Vapor chamber First, the vapor chamber of the present invention will be described.

[0025] FIG. 1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view schematically illustrating an example of a vapor chamber of the present invention. FIGS. 2 to 4 are longitudinal cross-sectional views each schematically illustrating another example of a vapor chamber of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a plan view schematically illustrating a wick structure included in a vapor chamber of the present invention. Glass fiber 131 is not shown in FIG. 5. The following description focuses on the case where the vapor chamber 100 contacts a component (heat-generating component) to which the vapor chamber 100 is applied on the lower surface (surface of the first sheet material 21) in FIGS. 1 to 4. However, the vapor chamber 100 may also be used so that the component (heat-generating component) to which the vapor chamber 100 is applied is contacted on the upper surface in FIGS. 1 to 4. While FIGS. 1 to 4 show the first sheet material 21 facing downward, the orientation of the vapor chamber 100 during use is not particularly limited. For example, the vapor chamber 100 may be used with the first sheet material 21 facing upward.

[0026] The vapor chamber 100 has a container 20 having a hollow space inside, a fiber substrate 13 arranged in the hollow space and made of glass fiber 131, and a working liquid (working fluid) 30 arranged in the hollow space.

[0027] This makes it possible to provide a vapor chamber 100 with particularly excellent heat transport capacity.

[0028] On the other hand, if the above conditions are not met, satisfactory results will not be obtained. For example, if the vapor chamber has a fiber substrate made of a material other than glass fiber instead of a fiber substrate made of glass fiber, it becomes difficult to ensure that the heat transport capacity of the vapor chamber is sufficiently excellent.

[0029] [1-1] Container The container 20 stores the fiber base material 13 and the working fluid 30, and mainly functions in the evaporation section to come into contact with a component to be cooled, such as a heat-generating component, and to transfer heat to the working fluid 30 stored inside the container 20, while in the condensation section it has the function of dissipating heat received from the working fluid 30 undergoing a phase transition from a gas state to a liquid state.

[0030] The container 20 may be constructed of any material, but is preferably constructed of a metallic material.

[0031] Metallic materials generally have high thermal conductivity and are also excellent in strength, ductility, etc. Therefore, for example, the vapor chamber 100 can be made to have better conformability and adhesion to the component to which it is applied (for example, a component to be cooled, such as a heat-generating component), and the vapor chamber 100 can have particularly excellent substantial heat transport capacity and be made more durable. In particular, the container 20 can be suitably formed using a relatively thin metal sheet material, which is advantageous from the standpoint of thinning the vapor chamber 100 and reducing the raw material costs of the vapor chamber 100.

[0032] Examples of the metal material that constitutes the container 20 include Cu, Al, Mg, Zn, and alloys containing at least one of these.

[0033] Among these, the metal material constituting the container 20 is preferably Cu or a Cu alloy.

[0034] This allows the effect of providing a container 20 made of a metal material to be more pronounced. That is, among various metal materials, Cu or a Cu alloy is relatively inexpensive and has particularly excellent thermal conductivity and ductility, so that the vapor chamber 100 can have particularly excellent shape conformability and adhesion to the member to which it is applied (for example, a member to be cooled, such as a heat-generating member), and the vapor chamber 100 can have an even better substantial heat transport capacity. In addition, the durability of the vapor chamber 100 can be further improved.

[0035] When the container 20 is made of metal sheet materials joined together, the thickness of the sheet materials is preferably 12 μm or more and 500 μm or less, and more preferably 18 μm or more and 250 μm or less.

[0036] This is particularly advantageous from the standpoint of making the vapor chamber 100 thinner, further improving its flexibility and heat transport capacity, and reducing the raw material costs of the vapor chamber 100, and also makes the vapor chamber 100 more durable and reliable.

[0037] In the illustrated configuration, the container 20 is formed using a first sheet material 21 and a second sheet material 22 .

[0038] The first sheet material 21 and the second sheet material 22 may be made of the same material, or may be made of different materials.

[0039] Furthermore, the first sheet material 21 and the second sheet material 22 may have the same thickness or may have different thicknesses.

[0040] The first sheet material 21 and the second sheet material 22 are sealed at their outer peripheries by a sealing portion 23. This seals the cavity containing the fiber base material 13 and the working fluid 30, maintaining a liquid-tight and airtight state.

[0041] The sealing portion 23 may be made of, for example, the same material as the first sheet material 21 or the second sheet material 22, or may be made of a material different from the first sheet material 21 and the second sheet material 22.

[0042] The sealing portion 23 can be formed by, for example, plating up, laser welding, seam welding, cold pressure welding, diffusion bonding, brazing, or adhesion.

[0043] The height of the cavity provided inside the container 20 is preferably 10 μm or more and 2000 μm or less, more preferably 20 μm or more and 1000 μm or less, and even more preferably 30 μm or more and 500 μm or less.

[0044] This prevents the vapor chamber 100 from becoming unnecessarily thick, while more suitably securing the flow path portion of the working fluid 30 (particularly, the flow path portion of the gaseous working fluid 30 and the flow path portion of the liquid working fluid 30).

[0045] [1-2] Fiber base material The fiber base material 13 is made of glass fiber 131 and is placed in a hollow portion inside the container 20 .

[0046] The fiber base material 13 is made of glass fiber 131, which can provide excellent heat transport capacity for the vapor chamber 100. Furthermore, since glass fiber generally has excellent transparency to light including ultraviolet light, in the manufacturing method of the vapor chamber 100 described in detail later, it can effectively prevent the curing reaction in the exposure step from being unintentionally inhibited, and can provide particularly excellent productivity and yield of the vapor chamber 100.

[0047] By having a sheet-like fiber substrate (fiber sheet) 13, for example, the glass fibers 131 can be contained in a state where multiple glass fibers 131 are entangled rather than in an independent state. This makes it easier to adjust the gaps between the glass fibers 131 to a state where capillary action of the liquid working fluid 30 is easily generated. Therefore, a flow path portion for the gaseous working fluid 30 and a flow path portion for the liquid working fluid 30 can be more suitably coexisted, and the above-mentioned effects can be more reliably achieved. Furthermore, this also facilitates the manufacture of a wick structure, which is an integrally molded product of the deformation prevention member 10 and the fiber substrate 13, as described in detail below. This makes it easier to adjust the arrangement and distribution of the glass fibers 131 in the wick structure. For example, it is possible to suitably prevent undesired uneven distribution of the glass fibers 131 in each portion of the wick structure (for example, insufficient glass fibers 131 in the portion that should become the flow path portion 15). Furthermore, since the fiber base material 13 is sheet-shaped, it is possible to effectively prevent the wick structure from becoming thicker than necessary, and it is possible to more effectively prevent unintended deformation of the fiber base material 13 during the manufacture of the vapor chamber 100 (wick structure) and unintended movement of the glass fibers 131 within the wick structure.

[0048] The fiber constituting the fiber base material (fiber sheet) 13 is glass fiber 131, which can provide excellent durability to the vapor chamber 100. Furthermore, since glass fiber generally has excellent transparency to light including ultraviolet light, in the manufacturing method of the vapor chamber 100 described in detail later, it is possible to effectively prevent the curing reaction in the exposure step from being unintentionally inhibited, and the productivity and yield of the vapor chamber 100 can be particularly excellent.

[0049] The thickness of the glass fiber 131 is not particularly limited, but is preferably 1 μm to 100 μm, more preferably 3 μm to 30 μm, and even more preferably 4 μm to 15 μm.

[0050] This prevents the fiber base material 13 from becoming thicker than necessary, while ensuring more suitable gaps between the glass fibers 131, thereby improving the transport capacity of the liquid working fluid 30 by capillary action in the vapor chamber 100. As a result, the heat transport capacity of the vapor chamber 100 can be improved.

[0051] In the fiber base material 13, the glass fibers 131 may be contained in a state where a plurality of glass fibers 131 are gathered in a bundle, i.e., as a fiber bundle. Examples of the fiber bundle include a ply-twisted yarn, a single-twisted yarn, a lang-twisted yarn, a braided cord, and the like.

[0052] This prevents the fiber base material 13 from becoming thicker than necessary, while ensuring more suitable gaps between the glass fibers 131, thereby improving the transport capacity of the liquid working fluid 30 by capillary action in the vapor chamber 100. As a result, the heat transport capacity of the vapor chamber 100 can be improved.

[0053] The basis weight of the fiber base material 13 is 1 g / m 2 More than 300g / m 2 Preferably, it is 12 g / m or less. 2 More than 165g / m 2 More preferably, it is:

[0054] This prevents the fiber base material 13 from becoming thicker than necessary, while ensuring more suitable gaps between the glass fibers 131, thereby improving the transport capacity of the liquid working fluid 30 by capillary action in the vapor chamber 100. As a result, the heat transport capacity of the vapor chamber 100 can be improved.

[0055] The fiber base material 13 may be, for example, a nonwoven fabric or a woven fabric. When the fiber base material 13 is a woven fabric, examples of the woven fabric include plain weave, twill weave, satin weave, leno weave, imitation weave, twill weave, double weave, and the like.

[0056] In this embodiment, the fiber base material 13 is disposed so as to penetrate through a flow path wall 16 of the deformation prevention member 10, which will be described later.

[0057] This more effectively prevents unintended movement of the glass fibers 131 in the vapor chamber 100, and the effects described above are more pronounced. Also, the stability of the shapes of the deformation prevention member 10 and the wick structure is improved, making it possible to further improve the durability and reliability of the vapor chamber 100. Furthermore, the ease of handling of the vapor chamber manufacturing member 10', the deformation prevention member 10, and the wick structure during the manufacture of the vapor chamber 100, as will be described in detail later, is improved.

[0058] The thickness of the fiber base material 13 is preferably 10 μm or more and 1000 μm or less, more preferably 20 μm or more and 500 μm or less, and even more preferably 30 μm or more and 200 μm or less.

[0059] This prevents the fiber base material 13 and the wick structure from becoming thicker than necessary, while ensuring more suitable gaps between the glass fibers 131, and further improving the transport capacity of the liquid working fluid 30 by capillary action in the vapor chamber 100. As a result, the heat transport capacity of the vapor chamber 100 can be further improved.

[0060] The fiber base material 13 may have regions with different densities of the glass fibers 131. For example, the fiber base material 13 may have regions with different densities of the glass fibers 131 in the thickness direction.

[0061] The sheet-like fiber base material 13 (glass fibers 131) may be present throughout almost the entire thickness of the wick structure as shown in Fig. 1, or may be unevenly distributed near the center of the thickness of the wick structure as shown in Fig. 2, or may be unevenly distributed on the second surface 12 side of the wick structure as shown in Fig. 3, or may be unevenly distributed on the first surface 11 side of the wick structure as shown in Fig. 4. Furthermore, the sheet-like fiber base material 13 (glass fibers 131) may be unevenly distributed on both sides of the wick structure (the first surface 11 side and the second surface 12 side), and the content of glass fibers 131 near the center of the thickness of the wick structure may be lower than in these areas.

[0062] The vapor chamber 100 may include multiple fiber base materials 13 in the hollow portion of the container 20. In this case, these fiber base materials 13 may be of the same condition or may be of different conditions. When the vapor chamber 100 includes multiple fiber base materials 13, the multiple fiber base materials 13 may be stacked in the thickness direction of the vapor chamber 100, for example.

[0063] [1-3] Hydraulic fluid In the hollow portion of the container 20, a working liquid 30 is placed together with the fiber base material 13.

[0064] The working fluid 30 mainly functions to transport heat in the cavity inside the container 20 .

[0065] Examples of the working fluid 30 include water, hydrochlorofluorocarbons such as HCFC-22, hydrofluorocarbons such as HFCR134a, HFCR407C, HFCR410A, and HFC32, hydrofluoroolefins such as HFO1234yf, hydrofluoroethers, alcohols such as ethanol and methanol, acetone, carbon dioxide gas, ammonia, and propane.

[0066] Among these, water is preferable as the working fluid 30 . This allows for favorable wettability with respect to the fiber base material 13, the container 20, and the deformation prevention member 10, and improves the substantial heat transport capacity of the vapor chamber 100. Furthermore, since water is a substance that has an excellent balance between heat capacity and ease of evaporation and condensation when used as the working fluid 30, it is possible to improve the substantial heat transport capacity of the vapor chamber 100. Furthermore, this is also preferable from the standpoints of reducing the production cost of the vapor chamber 100, safety, and small environmental impact.

[0067] The ratio of the volume of the working fluid 30 in the hollow portion of the container 20 (the space inside the container 20 in which the working fluid can exist in a liquid or gaseous state) to the volume of the hollow portion of the container 20 (the volume when the working fluid 30 in the hollow portion of the container 20 is all in a liquid state) is preferably 5% by volume or more and 80% by volume or less, more preferably 10% by volume or more and 60% by volume or less, and even more preferably 20% by volume or more and 50% by volume or less.

[0068] This allows the working fluid 30 in both liquid and gaseous states to move more efficiently within the hollow portion of the container 20, thereby making the heat transport capacity of the vapor chamber 100 particularly excellent.

[0069] [1-4] Deformation prevention member In this embodiment, a deformation prevention member 10, which is a member having the function of preventing deformation in the thickness direction of the container 20 (for example, deformation when the hollow portion is depressurized to lower the boiling point of the working liquid 30), is arranged in a hollow portion provided inside the container 20, together with the fiber base material 13 and the working liquid 30.

[0070] By arranging such a deformation prevention member 10 in the hollow portion of the container 20, a flow path for the working fluid 30 can be more suitably secured in the hollow portion of the container 20, and it is possible to more effectively prevent the flow of the working fluid 30 in the hollow portion from being obstructed due to deformation of the container 20.

[0071] The deformation prevention member 10 has a portion that functions as a flow path wall 16 for the working fluid 30, and the portion of the deformation prevention member 10 where the flow path wall 16 is not arranged becomes the flow path portion 15 for the working fluid 30.

[0072] The width L of the flow path wall 16 (the width of the cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the flow path wall 16) is not particularly limited, but is preferably 5 μm or more and 1000 μm or less, and more preferably 10 μm or more and 500 μm or less.

[0073] This makes it possible to sufficiently prevent undesired deformation in the thickness direction of the container 20. In particular, when the deformation prevention member 10 is made of a resin material, if the width of the flow path wall 16 is within the above range, the vapor chamber 100 can have particularly excellent flexibility.

[0074] In the illustrated configuration, the deformation prevention member 10 has a plurality of portions that function as flow path walls 16 extending in the longitudinal direction thereof.

[0075] The distance S between adjacent flow path walls 16 (i.e., the width of the flow path portion 15) is not particularly limited, but is preferably 100 μm or more and 1000 μm or less, more preferably 200 μm or more and 800 μm or less, and even more preferably 300 μm or more and 700 μm or less.

[0076] This allows the working fluid 30 (gaseous working fluid 30 and liquid working fluid 30) to move more smoothly while preventing the deformation prevention member 10 and vapor chamber 100 from becoming larger. It also allows for sufficient prevention of unintended deformation in the thickness direction of the container 20. In particular, when the deformation prevention member 10 is made of a resin material, if the distance S between adjacent flow path walls 16 is a value within the above range, the flexibility (pliability) of the vapor chamber 100 can be made particularly excellent.

[0077] The ratio (L / S) of the width L [μm] of the flow path wall 16 to the width S [μm] of the flow path portion 15 is not particularly limited, but is preferably 0.05 or more and 0.50 or less, more preferably 0.08 or more and 0.40 or less, and even more preferably 0.10 or more and 0.35 or less.

[0078] This sufficiently prevents undesired deformation in the thickness direction of the container 20. In particular, when the deformation prevention member 10 is made of a resin material, if the L / S is a value within the above range, the flexibility (pliability) of the vapor chamber 100 can be particularly excellent. Furthermore, the heat transport capacity and durability of the vapor chamber 100 can be improved while suppressing an increase in the size of the deformation prevention member 10 and the vapor chamber 100. On the other hand, if the L / S value is below the lower limit, deformation in the thickness direction of the container 20 is likely to occur depending on the thickness of the sheet material constituting the container 20, the constituent materials, etc. Furthermore, if the L / S value exceeds the upper limit, the heat transport efficiency decreases.

[0079] In the illustrated configuration, the channel portion 15 and the channel wall 16 have a constant width, but they may have portions with different widths.

[0080] In the illustrated configuration, the flow path portion 15 and the flow path wall 16 are provided linearly in one direction, but they may also have curved or bent portions.

[0081] The height (thickness) of the deformation prevention member 10 is preferably 10 μm or more and 2000 μm or less, more preferably 20 μm or more and 1000 μm or less, and even more preferably 30 μm or more and 500 μm or less.

[0082] This prevents the vapor chamber 100 from becoming unnecessarily thick, while more suitably securing the flow path portion of the working fluid 30 (particularly, the flow path portion of the gaseous working fluid 30 and the flow path portion of the liquid working fluid 30).

[0083] The deformation prevention member 10 may be made of any material, but is preferably made of a resin material.

[0084] This is advantageous in that the vapor chamber 100 can be made lighter and more flexible.

[0085] The resin material constituting the deformation prevention member 10 is not particularly limited, but in this embodiment, it includes a cured product (resin cured product 14) of a curable resin (for example, a photopolymerizable resin or a thermosetting resin, as described in detail later).

[0086] This makes it possible to improve the durability and reliability of the vapor chamber 100.

[0087] The deformation prevention member 10 may also contain an alkali-soluble resin, as will be described in detail later.

[0088] The deformation prevention member 10 may contain components other than the resin material, such as fillers, ultraviolet absorbers, leveling agents, coupling agents, flame retardants, and antioxidants.

[0089] However, the content of components other than the resin material in the deformation prevention member 10 (if multiple types of components are contained, the total content of these components) is preferably 10.0 mass% or less, more preferably 7.0 mass% or less, and even more preferably 5.0 mass% or less.

[0090] In the illustrated configuration, the deformation prevention member 10 is in contact with the inner surface of the container 20 on both sides (more specifically, one side, the first side 11, is in contact with the first sheet material 21, and the other side, the second side 12, is in contact with the second sheet material 22), but another member may be interposed between the deformation prevention member 10 and the container 20. In other words, the deformation prevention member 10 may be fixed to the inner surface of the container 20 via, for example, another member.

[0091] In this embodiment, the deformation prevention member 10 is formed integrally with the fiber base material 13 that functions as a wick. In other words, the integrally molded product of the deformation prevention member 10 and the fiber base material 13 is a member that has the function of preventing deformation in the thickness direction of the container, and also serves as a wick structure that allows the flow of the working fluid 30 associated with heat transport, particularly the flow of the working fluid 30 vaporized by heat received in the evaporator section of the container 20 and the flow of the working fluid 30 condensed by heat release in the condenser section of the container 20.

[0092] In particular, the wick structure includes a deformation prevention member 10 and a fiber substrate 13, and the fiber substrate 13 (glass fiber 131) is arranged in a part of the flow path portion 15 of the working fluid 30 where the deformation prevention member 10 is not arranged.

[0093] In this way, since the deformation prevention member 10 is integrally formed with the fiber substrate 13 that functions as a wick, for example, the flow path portion 15 can have a flow path portion for the gaseous working fluid 30 (a portion of the flow path portion 15 where the glass fibers 131 are not present or where the density of the glass fibers 131 is low) and a flow path portion for the liquid working fluid 30 (a portion of the flow path portion 15 where the glass fibers 131 are present or where the density of the glass fibers 131 is high), and the flow path for the liquid working fluid 30 and the flow path for the gaseous working fluid 30 can be functionally separated. As a result, the heat transport capacity of the vapor chamber 100 can be particularly excellent. Furthermore, the durability of the vapor chamber 100 can also be improved.

[0094] The wick structure as described above may be formed by any method, but is preferably formed using a vapor chamber manufacturing member 10' as described below.

[0095] This allows the vapor chamber 100 to be manufactured with high productivity and high yield, for example, by a method described below, and the reliability of the vapor chamber 100 can be improved.

[0096] When the wick structure is formed using a vapor chamber manufacturing member 10' as described below, the wick structure may be manufactured using one vapor chamber manufacturing member 10' or multiple vapor chamber manufacturing members 10'. When multiple vapor chamber manufacturing members 10' are used, these vapor chamber manufacturing members 10' may be arranged in the plane direction of the wick structure or may be arranged (stacked) in the thickness direction of the wick structure.

[0097] [1-5] Overall configuration of the vapor chamber The thickness of the vapor chamber 100 is preferably 50 μm or more and 2100 μm or less, more preferably 80 μm or more and 1070 μm or less, and even more preferably 100 μm or more and 570 μm or less.

[0098] This allows the working fluid 30 (gaseous working fluid 30 and liquid working fluid 30) to move more smoothly while preventing the vapor chamber 100 from becoming thicker. As a result, the heat transport capacity of the vapor chamber 100 can be made particularly excellent. In addition, the durability of the vapor chamber 100 can be made even better.

[0099] [1-6] How to use the vapor chamber Next, examples of how the vapor chamber of the present invention can be used will be described.

[0100] The vapor chamber of the present invention may be used, for example, for the purpose of transferring heat from a heat-generating component to a predetermined location, or for the purpose of equalizing the heat of a localized high-temperature portion of a heat-generating component.

[0101] As mentioned above, the vapor chamber of the present invention has particularly excellent heat transport capabilities, and can efficiently transport heat whether it is moving heat from a heat-generating component to a specified location or equalizing the heat from a localized high-temperature portion of a heat-generating component.

[0102] The following description will focus on the case where the vapor chamber of the present invention is used for the purpose of transferring heat from a specific component (heat-generating component).

[0103] When used to cool a heat-generating component (such as a CPU), the vapor chamber is used with part of its surface (evaporation portion) in contact with the heat-generating component itself or a component made of a highly thermally conductive material (such as a thermally conductive sheet) that comes into contact with it (hereinafter, these are collectively referred to as "heat-generating component, etc.").

[0104] In this case, the vapor chamber may be in a state where the condensation section, which is a different section from the evaporation section, i.e., the section that dissipates heat received from the heat-generating component, is in contact with a heat dissipation component (e.g., a heat sink, etc.) or a component made of a highly thermally conductive material that is in contact with it (e.g., a thermally conductive sheet, etc.) (hereinafter, these will be collectively referred to as "heat dissipation components, etc.").

[0105] In particular, if the deformation prevention member 10 is made of a resin material (especially if the vapor chamber 100 is manufactured using a vapor chamber manufacturing member 10' as described below), the vapor chamber 100 will have excellent flexibility (pliability).

[0106] When there is a difference in level between the location where the heat-generating component is installed and the location where the heat-dissipating component should be installed, if a conventional heat pipe or vapor chamber with poor flexibility is used, a spacer (e.g., a metal spacer) must be installed to eliminate or reduce the difference in level, resulting in problems such as increased costs due to the increased number of parts and an increase in the weight of the entire device. However, with the above-described configuration, the vapor chamber 100 is highly flexible and can be easily bent, for example. Therefore, even if the spacer is omitted, good adhesion with other components (heat-generating components, heat-dissipating components, etc.) in the condensation section and evaporation section can be ensured. Therefore, the above-described problems can be effectively resolved while good heat dissipation performance can be achieved.

[0107] Furthermore, by curving or bending the vapor chamber 100, interference with other components can be suitably avoided, which increases the degree of freedom in the layout of each component in a device equipped with a heat-generating component.

[0108] Furthermore, because the shapes of the flow path portion 15 and flow path wall 16 of the vapor chamber 100 (wick structure) can be suitably adjusted, it is possible to suitably manufacture vapor chambers 100 having not only simple shapes such as rectangles, but also complex shapes such as shapes with cutouts, and having flow path portion 15 and flow path wall 16 corresponding to those shapes. Therefore, for example, it is possible to increase the contact area with heat-generating components, heat-dissipating components, etc., while suitably eliminating interference with other components. This allows for better heat dissipation performance.

[0109] Furthermore, for example, in a housing (such as the joints of an articulated robot) that houses a motor as a heat-generating component, an aluminum molded body and a heat-conducting sheet have been used in combination inside the housing to dissipate heat from the motor to the outside through the housing, but this has the problem of increasing the size of the housing. In contrast, when using the vapor chamber 100 as described above, there is no need to use an aluminum molded body, which is advantageous from the perspective of miniaturizing the housing and reducing the number of parts.

[0110] [2] Vapor chamber manufacturing materials Next, a description will be given of a vapor chamber manufacturing component that can be suitably used for manufacturing the vapor chamber of the present invention described above, in particular, for manufacturing the deformation prevention member (wick structure) provided in the vapor chamber.

[0111] Fig. 6 is a perspective view schematically showing an example of a vapor chamber manufacturing member. Fig. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view schematically showing an example of a vapor chamber manufacturing member. Fig. 8 and Fig. 9 are longitudinal sectional views respectively schematically showing other examples of a vapor chamber manufacturing member.

[0112] The vapor chamber manufacturing member 10' includes a fiber base material 13 and an uncured resin material 14'.

[0113] This makes it possible to provide a vapor chamber manufacturing member 10' that has excellent flexibility (pliability) and can be suitably used to manufacture a vapor chamber 100 having particularly excellent heat transport capacity. Furthermore, because the vapor chamber 100 can have excellent flexibility (pliability), the vapor chamber 100 can be in good contact with the member to which the vapor chamber 100 is applied, regardless of the member or arrangement, etc., and the vapor chamber 100 can more reliably exhibit excellent heat transport capacity.

[0114] The reason for such excellent effects is believed to be as follows. That is, because the vapor chamber manufacturing member 10' includes the fiber base material 13 and the uncured resin material 14', the wick structure formed using the vapor chamber manufacturing member 10' can be made of a material including the fiber base material 13 and the cured resin 14, and the vapor chamber 100 as a whole can exhibit excellent flexibility (pliability). Furthermore, because the vapor chamber manufacturing member 10' includes the uncured resin material 14', for example, by irradiating light (exposure light) in a predetermined pattern in a method described below, the flow path portion 15 for the working liquid 30 in the vapor chamber 100, particularly the flow path portion for the gaseous working liquid 30 (portions of the flow path portion 15 where no glass fibers 131 are present or where the density of the glass fibers 131 is low) and the flow path portion for the liquid working liquid 30 (portions of the flow path portion 15 where the glass fibers 131 are present or where the density of the glass fibers 131 is high) can be suitably formed. More specifically, a structure for moving the gaseous working fluid 30 and a structure for moving the liquid working fluid 30 by capillary action can be formed in a suitable arrangement. This can speed up the evaporation-condensation cycle of the working fluid 30, thereby making the heat transport capacity of the vapor chamber 100 as a whole particularly excellent. However, a portion of the liquid working fluid 30 may flow in the flow path portion of the gaseous working fluid 30 (a portion of the flow path portion 15 where the glass fibers 131 are not present or where the density of the glass fibers 131 is low), or a portion of the gaseous working fluid 30 may flow in the flow path portion of the liquid working fluid 30 (a portion of the flow path portion 15 where the glass fibers 131 are present or where the density of the glass fibers 131 is high).

[0115] Furthermore, the shapes of the flow path portion 15 and flow path wall 16 of the vapor chamber 100 (wick structure, deformation prevention member 10) manufactured using the vapor chamber manufacturing member 10' can be suitably adjusted depending on the application and application site of the vapor chamber 100. In other words, it has excellent on-demand properties. Furthermore, the vapor chamber 100 (wick structure, deformation prevention member 10) can be suitably manufactured using common processes such as light irradiation and heat treatment, and the vapor chamber 100 with the above-mentioned excellent characteristics can be manufactured without performing complicated metal processing. Furthermore, the flow path portion for the gaseous working fluid 30 and the flow path portion for the liquid working fluid 30 can be formed in a common process, eliminating the need for alignment of these portions, thereby achieving high productivity and high yield in the manufacture of the vapor chamber 100.

[0116] The uncured resin material 14' may be a curable resin material in which the curing reaction has not yet been completed, or may be a resin material in which the curing reaction has partially progressed, for example, a B-stage resin material.

[0117] Furthermore, by including the fiber substrate 13 in which a plurality of glass fibers 131 are intertwined, it is easy to adjust the gaps between the glass fibers 131 in the vapor chamber manufacturing member 10′ so that the liquid working fluid 30 is likely to undergo capillary action, and it is also easy to adjust the arrangement of the glass fibers 131 in the vapor chamber manufacturing member 10′. Therefore, in a wick structure formed using the vapor chamber manufacturing member 10′, the flow path portion for the gaseous working fluid 30 and the flow path portion for the liquid working fluid 30 can be more suitably formed, and the above-mentioned effects can be more reliably achieved. Furthermore, the vapor chamber manufacturing member 10′ is also easily manufactured, and it is easy to adjust the arrangement and distribution of the glass fibers 131 in the vapor chamber manufacturing member 10′. For example, it is possible to suitably prevent undesired uneven distribution of the glass fibers 131 in each portion of the vapor chamber manufacturing member 10′ (e.g., insufficient glass fibers 131 in the portion that should become the flow path portion 15).

[0118] In the illustrated configuration, the fiber base material 13 is in the form of a sheet, but the shape of the fiber base material 13 is not particularly limited.

[0119] Furthermore, in the illustrated configuration, the vapor chamber manufacturing member 10' is sheet-shaped, and in particular has a shape corresponding to the sheet-shaped fiber base material 13, but the shape of the vapor chamber manufacturing member 10' is not particularly limited.

[0120] [2-1] Resin materials The vapor chamber manufacturing member 10' includes an uncured resin material 14'.

[0121] The resin material 14' may be any material containing a curable resin in an uncured state, may be a material in which the curing reaction has progressed partially (for example, a B-stage resin), or may be a material containing a thermoplastic resin in addition to a curable resin in an uncured state.

[0122] Among them, it is preferable that the resin material 14' contains an alkali-soluble resin and a photopolymerizable resin.

[0123] This allows a predetermined pattern to be suitably formed through an exposure step and a development step in a method to be described later, and also allows an alkaline aqueous solution, which has a lower environmental impact, to be suitably used in the development step instead of an organic solvent, which is widely used as a developer.

[0124] The alkali-soluble resin will be described below. Examples of alkali-soluble resins include novolak resins such as cresol type, phenol type, bisphenol A type, bisphenol F type, catechol type, resorcinol type, and pyrogallol type; acrylic resins such as phenol aralkyl resins, hydroxystyrene resins, methacrylic acid resins, and methacrylic acid ester resins; cyclic olefin resins containing hydroxyl groups, carboxyl groups, and the like; and polyamide resins (specifically, resins having at least one of a polybenzoxazole structure and a polyimide structure and having a hydroxyl group, carboxyl group, ether group, or ester group in the main chain or side chain, resins having a polybenzoxazole precursor structure, resins having a polyimide precursor structure, and resins having a polyamic acid ester structure).

[0125] As the alkali-soluble resin, for example, a resin having an alkali-soluble group and a double bond can be suitably used.

[0126] As a result, when removing resin whose double bond moieties have not reacted during development, an alkaline aqueous solution, which has a lower environmental impact, can be used instead of the organic solvents that are normally used as developers.In addition, since the double bond moieties contribute to the curing reaction, the heat resistance of the cured resin 14 formed by curing the resin material 14' can be maintained.

[0127] Examples of resins having an alkali-soluble group and a double bond include curable resins that can be cured by both light and heat.

[0128] Examples of the alkali-soluble group include a hydroxyl group, a carboxyl group, etc. The alkali-soluble group can also contribute to the thermosetting reaction.

[0129] Examples of such resins include thermosetting resins having a photoreactive group such as an acryloyl group, a methacryloyl group, or a vinyl group, and photocurable resins having a thermally reactive group such as a phenolic hydroxyl group, an alcoholic hydroxyl group, a carboxyl group, or an acid anhydride group. The photocurable resin may further have a thermally reactive group such as an epoxy group, an amino group, or a cyanate group. Specific examples include (meth)acrylic-modified phenolic resins, (meth)acryloyl-group-containing acrylic acid polymers, and carboxyl-group-containing (epoxy)acrylates.

[0130] Among these, the alkali-soluble resin is preferably one containing a (meth)acrylic group and a phenolic hydroxyl group, or one containing a (meth)acrylic group and a carboxyl group, more preferably one containing a (meth)acrylic group and a phenolic hydroxyl group, and even more preferably a (meth)acrylic-modified phenolic resin.

[0131] This allows for more efficient removal of unreacted resin during development using an alkaline aqueous solution, improving the productivity of the vapor chamber 100 and the reliability of the vapor chamber 100 produced.

[0132] In particular, if the alkali-soluble resin contains a (meth)acrylic group and a phenolic hydroxyl group, the above-mentioned effects can be obtained, and the resolution of the resin material 14', i.e., the reproducibility of the pattern in the exposure step, can be improved in the manufacturing method of the vapor chamber 100 described below. Such effects are more pronounced when a (meth)acrylic-modified phenolic resin is used among alkali-soluble resins containing a (meth)acrylic group and a phenolic hydroxyl group.

[0133] (Meth)acrylic-modified phenolic resins can be obtained, for example, by reacting a phenolic hydroxyl group of a novolac resin such as a phenol novolac resin, a cresol novolac resin, or a bisphenol A novolac resin with a compound having a glycidyl group and a (meth)acrylic group, such as glycidyl acrylate or glycidyl methacrylate. Among these, methacrylic-modified phenolic resins obtained by reacting phenol novolac with glycidyl methacrylate and bisphenol A novolac resin with glycidyl methacrylate are preferred.

[0134] This makes it possible to more effectively remove unreacted resin during development using an alkaline aqueous solution, thereby improving the productivity of the vapor chamber 100 and the reliability of the manufactured vapor chamber 100, and also improving the reproducibility of the pattern in the exposure step.

[0135] When a thermosetting resin having a photoreactive group is used as the alkali-soluble resin, the modification rate (substitution rate) of the photoreactive group is not particularly limited, but is preferably 20 mol % or more and 80 mol % or less, and more preferably 30 mol % or more and 70 mol % or less, of the total reactive groups of the resin having the alkali-soluble group and the double bond.

[0136] This improves the resolution of the resin material 14' in the manufacturing method of the vapor chamber 100 described below, i.e., the reproducibility of the pattern in the exposure process. As a result, this method can be more suitably applied to the manufacture of a vapor chamber 100 equipped with a deformation prevention member 10 (wick structure) having a fine pattern.

[0137] On the other hand, when a photocurable resin having a thermally reactive group is used, the modification rate (substitution rate) of the thermally reactive group is not particularly limited, but is preferably 20 mol % or more and 80 mol % or less, and more preferably 30 mol % or more and 70 mol % or less, of the total reactive groups of the resin having an alkali-soluble group and a double bond.

[0138] This improves the resolution of the resin material 14' in the manufacturing method of the vapor chamber 100 described below, i.e., the reproducibility of the pattern in the exposure process. As a result, this method can be more suitably applied to the manufacture of a vapor chamber 100 equipped with a deformation prevention member 10 (wick structure) having a fine pattern.

[0139] The weight average molecular weight of the resin having an alkali-soluble group and a double bond is not particularly limited, but is preferably 300,000 or less, and more preferably 5,000 or more and 150,000 or less.

[0140] This makes it possible to more suitably remove the resin material 14' in the developing step while ensuring that the shape of the resin material 14' in the vapor chamber manufacturing member 10' remains sufficiently stable.

[0141] The weight-average molecular weight can be evaluated, for example, by GPC, and can be calculated from a calibration curve prepared in advance using a styrene standard substance. In particular, the weight-average molecular weight can be measured using tetrahydrofuran (THF) as a measurement solvent at a temperature of 40°C.

[0142] The content of the alkali-soluble resin in the resin material 14' is not particularly limited, but is preferably 10% by mass or more and 80% by mass or less, and more preferably 15% by mass or more and 70% by mass or less.

[0143] This allows the resin material 14' in the vapor chamber manufacturing member 10' to have sufficiently excellent shape stability, while also improving the resolution in the exposure process and the developability in the development process. Furthermore, the heat treatment in the manufacturing process of the vapor chamber 100 allows for improved bonding strength and adhesion between the deformation prevention member 10 (wick structure) and the container 20 (first sheet material 21, second sheet material 22).

[0144] Next, the photopolymerizable resin will be described. The resin material 14' contains a photopolymerizable resin in addition to the alkali-soluble resin described above, thereby improving the patterning properties.

[0145] Examples of photopolymerizable resins include unsaturated polyesters, acrylic compounds such as acrylic monomers and oligomers having at least one acryloyl group or methacryloyl group in each molecule, and vinyl compounds such as styrene. One or more of these may be used in combination.

[0146] Among these, UV-curable resins containing an acrylic compound as a main component are preferred. Acrylic compounds cure quickly when irradiated with light (exposure light), and the resin material 14′ can be suitably patterned with a relatively small amount of exposure light.

[0147] Examples of acrylic compounds include acrylic acid ester and methacrylic acid ester monomers, and more specific examples include bifunctional acrylates such as ethylene glycol diacrylate, ethylene glycol dimethacrylate, 1,6-hexanediol diacrylate, 1,6-hexanediol dimethacrylate, glycerin diacrylate, glycerin dimethacrylate, 1,10-decanediol diacrylate, and 1,10-decanediol dimethacrylate, and polyfunctional acrylates such as trimethylolpropane triacrylate, trimethylolpropane trimethacrylate, pentaerythritol triacrylate, pentaerythritol trimethacrylate, dipentaerythritol hexaacrylate, and dipentaerythritol hexamethacrylate.

[0148] Among these, (meth)acrylic acid esters are preferred, and acrylic acid esters and methacrylic acid alkyl esters having 1 to 15 carbon atoms in the ester moiety are more preferred. This can improve the reactivity and the sensitivity in the exposure step.

[0149] The photopolymerizable resin is not particularly limited, but is preferably one that is liquid at room temperature (23° C.).

[0150] This improves the curing reactivity with exposure light (especially ultraviolet light). It also facilitates the mixing process with other components (e.g., alkali-soluble resins). Examples of photopolymerizable resins that are liquid at room temperature include the aforementioned ultraviolet-curable resins containing an acrylic compound as a main component.

[0151] The weight average molecular weight of the photopolymerizable resin is not particularly limited, but is preferably 5,000 or less, and more preferably 150 or more and 3,000 or less.

[0152] This can improve the reactivity of the resin material 14', improve the sensitivity in the exposure step, and improve the resolution of the resin material 14'.

[0153] The content of the photopolymerizable resin in the resin material 14' is not particularly limited, but is preferably 9% by mass or more and 40% by mass or less, and more preferably 13% by mass or more and 30% by mass or less.

[0154] This allows the cured resin 14 obtained by curing the resin material 14' to have both high levels of heat resistance and flexibility. Furthermore, the resolution of the resin material 14' in the method for manufacturing the vapor chamber 100 described below, i.e., the reproducibility of the pattern in the exposure process, can be improved. As a result, this method can be more suitably applied to the manufacture of a vapor chamber 100 equipped with a deformation prevention member 10 (wick structure) having a fine pattern.

[0155] When the content of alkali-soluble resin in resin material 14' is XA [mass %] and the content of photopolymerizable resin in resin material 14' is XP [mass %], it is preferable to satisfy the relationship 0.15≦XP / XA≦0.90, it is more preferable to satisfy the relationship 0.19≦XP / XA≦0.87, and it is even more preferable to satisfy the relationship 0.22≦XP / XA≦0.33.

[0156] This makes it possible to further improve the balance of the shape stability of the resin material 14' in the vapor chamber manufacturing component 10', the resolution in the exposure process, the developability in the development process, the bonding strength and adhesion between the deformation prevention component 10 (wick structure) and the container 20 (first sheet material 21, second sheet material 22), the heat resistance and flexibility of the cured resin 14 formed by curing the resin material 14', etc.

[0157] When the resin material 14' contains an alkali-soluble resin and a photopolymerizable resin, it is preferable that the resin material 14' further contains a thermosetting resin different from the alkali-soluble resin.

[0158] This improves the heat resistance of the deformation prevention member 10 (wick structure). In addition, it is possible to achieve suitable adhesiveness in the manufacturing process of the vapor chamber 100, which will be described later, and improve the bonding strength and adhesion between the deformation prevention member 10 (wick structure) and the container 20 (first sheet material 21, second sheet material 22).

[0159] Examples of the thermosetting resin include novolac-type phenolic resins such as phenol novolac resin, cresol novolac resin, and bisphenol A novolac resin; phenolic resins such as resol phenolic resin; bisphenol-type epoxy resins such as bisphenol A epoxy resin and bisphenol F epoxy resin; novolac-type epoxy resins such as novolac epoxy resin and cresol novolac epoxy resin; epoxy resins such as biphenyl-type epoxy resin, stilbene-type epoxy resin, triphenolmethane-type epoxy resin, alkyl-modified triphenolmethane-type epoxy resin, triazine nucleus-containing epoxy resin, and dicyclopentadiene-modified phenolic epoxy resin; resins having a triazine ring such as urea resin and melamine resin; unsaturated polyester resin, bismaleimide resin, polyurethane resin, diallyl phthalate resin, silicone resin, resins having a benzoxazine ring, and cyanate ester resin. One or more of these may be used in combination. Of these, epoxy resins are particularly preferred as the thermosetting resin. This makes it possible to improve the heat resistance of the cured resin material 14 formed by curing the resin material 14' and the adhesion of the cured resin material 14 formed by curing the resin material 14' to the fiber base material 13, the first sheet material 21, and the second sheet material 22.

[0160] In particular, it is preferable to use a silicone-modified epoxy resin as the epoxy resin, and it is more preferable to use a combination of an epoxy resin that is solid at room temperature (particularly, a bisphenol-type epoxy resin) and an epoxy resin that is liquid at room temperature (particularly, a silicone-modified epoxy resin that is liquid at room temperature).

[0161] This allows the cured resin 14 obtained by curing the resin material 14' to have both high levels of heat resistance and flexibility. Furthermore, the resolution of the resin material 14' in the method for manufacturing the vapor chamber 100 described below, i.e., the reproducibility of the pattern in the exposure process, can be further improved. As a result, this method can be more suitably applied to the manufacture of a vapor chamber 100 equipped with a deformation prevention member 10 (wick structure) having a fine pattern.

[0162] The content of the thermosetting resin in the resin material 14' is not particularly limited, but is preferably 10% by mass or more and 60% by mass or less, and more preferably 15% by mass or more and 55% by mass or less.

[0163] This allows the cured resin 14 obtained by curing the resin material 14' to have both high heat resistance and high toughness.

[0164] When the content of the alkali-soluble resin in the resin material 14′ is XA [mass %] and the content of the thermosetting resin in the resin material 14′ is XT [mass %], it is preferable to satisfy the relationship 0.20≦XT / XA≦1.5, it is more preferable to satisfy the relationship 0.30≦XT / XA≦1.2, and it is even more preferable to satisfy the relationship 0.55≦XT / XA≦0.80.

[0165] This makes it possible to further improve the balance of the shape stability of the resin material 14' in the vapor chamber manufacturing component 10', the resolution in the exposure process, the developability in the development process, the heat resistance and toughness of the cured resin 14 formed by curing the resin material 14', the bonding strength and adhesion between the deformation prevention component 10 (wick structure) and the container 20 (first sheet material 21, second sheet material 22), etc.

[0166] The content of the resin material 14' in the vapor chamber manufacturing component 10' is preferably 10% by mass or more and 50% by mass or less, more preferably 15% by mass or more and 45% by mass or less, and even more preferably 20% by mass or more and 40% by mass or less.

[0167] By satisfying the above content conditions, the ratio between the flow path portion of the gaseous working liquid 30 and the flow path portion of the liquid working liquid 30 in the vapor chamber 100 (wick structure) manufactured using the vapor chamber manufacturing component 10' can be made more suitable.

[0168] When the content of the fiber base material 13 in the vapor chamber manufacturing component 10' is Xf [mass %] and the content of the resin material 14' is Xr [mass %], it is preferable to satisfy the relationship 0.8≦Xf / Xr≦8.0, it is more preferable to satisfy the relationship 1.0≦Xf / Xr≦7.0, and it is even more preferable to satisfy the relationship 2.0≦Xf / Xr≦6.0.

[0169] By satisfying the above-mentioned content relationship, the ratio between the flow path portion of the gaseous working liquid 30 and the flow path portion of the liquid working liquid 30 in the vapor chamber 100 (wick structure) manufactured using the vapor chamber manufacturing component 10' can be made more suitable.

[0170] [2-2] Fiber base material The member 10 ′ for manufacturing a vapor chamber of this embodiment includes a fiber base material 13 .

[0171] The fiber base material 13 contained in the vapor chamber manufacturing member 10' preferably satisfies the same conditions as the fiber base material 13 described above as a constituent material of the vapor chamber 100 (wick structure). This provides the same effect as described above.

[0172] [2-3] Hardener The member 10' for manufacturing a vapor chamber may further contain a curing agent.

[0173] The curing agent (photosensitive agent) is not particularly limited as long as it hardens the resin material 14', and examples thereof include benzophenone, acetophenone, benzoin, benzoin isobutyl ether, benzoin methyl benzoate, benzoin benzoic acid, benzoin methyl ether, benzyl phenyl sulfide, benzyl, dibenzyl, diacetyl, etc., and one or more selected from these may be used in combination.

[0174] The content of the curing agent (photosensitive agent) in the vapor chamber manufacturing component 10' is not particularly limited, but is preferably 0.1% by mass or more and 50% by mass or less, more preferably 0.5% by mass or more and 40% by mass or less, and even more preferably 1.0% by mass or more and 30% by mass or less.

[0175] This allows the storage stability of the vapor chamber manufacturing member 10' to be sufficiently excellent, and also allows the photopolymerization reaction to be initiated and progressed more suitably when manufacturing the vapor chamber 100, which will be described later.

[0176] [2-4] Other ingredients The vapor chamber manufacturing member 10' may contain components other than those described above (hereinafter also referred to as "other components"). Examples of such components include fillers, UV absorbers, leveling agents, coupling agents, flame retardants, and antioxidants. One or more selected from these may be used in combination.

[0177] However, the content of other components in the vapor chamber manufacturing member 10' is preferably 7.0 mass % or less, more preferably 5.0 mass % or less, and even more preferably 3.0 mass % or less.

[0178] [2-5] Overall structure of vapor chamber manufacturing components The shape of the vapor chamber manufacturing member 10' is not particularly limited, but in the illustrated configuration, it is in the form of a sheet.

[0179] This makes it possible to suitably manufacture the sheet-shaped vapor chamber 100 (wick structure).

[0180] When the vapor chamber-manufacturing member 10' is in a sheet shape, the sheet-like fiber base material 13 (glass fiber 131) may be present over almost the entire thickness of the vapor chamber-manufacturing member 10' as shown in Fig. 7, or may be unevenly distributed near the center of the thickness of the vapor chamber-manufacturing member 10' as shown in Fig. 8, or may be unevenly distributed on one side of the vapor chamber-manufacturing member 10' as shown in Fig. 9. Furthermore, the sheet-like fiber base material 13 (glass fiber 131) may be unevenly distributed on both sides of the vapor chamber-manufacturing member 10', and the content of glass fiber 131 near the center of the thickness of the vapor chamber-manufacturing member 10' may be lower than in these areas.

[0181] The thickness of the vapor chamber manufacturing member 10' is preferably 10 μm or more and 2000 μm or less, more preferably 20 μm or more and 1000 μm or less, and even more preferably 30 μm or more and 500 μm or less.

[0182] This prevents the vapor chamber 100 manufactured using the vapor chamber manufacturing component 10' from becoming unnecessarily thick, while more suitably forming the flow path portion for the gaseous working fluid 30 and the flow path portion for the liquid working fluid 30.

[0183] [3] Vapor chamber manufacturing method Next, a method for manufacturing the vapor chamber of the present invention will be described.

[0184] 10 and 11 are vertical cross-sectional views schematically showing an example of a method for manufacturing a vapor chamber of the present invention.

[0185] The method for manufacturing the vapor chamber 100 of this embodiment includes a vapor chamber manufacturing member preparation step (1a) for preparing a vapor chamber manufacturing member 10' made of a material containing an uncured resin material 14', a first joining step (1b) for joining the vapor chamber manufacturing member 10' to a first sheet material 21 made of a metal material on one side, that is, a first surface 11, and a step (1c) for irradiating the vapor chamber manufacturing member 10' joined to the first sheet material 21 with light (exposure light) in a predetermined pattern. The method includes an exposure process (1c) of irradiating the vapor chamber manufacturing component 10' with light E; a development process (1d) of removing uncured resin material 14' from areas not irradiated with light E in the exposure process; a second joining process (1e) of joining the vapor chamber manufacturing component 10' that has undergone the development process to a second sheet material 22 made of a metal material on a second surface 12 opposite to the first surface 11; and a working fluid supply and sealing process (1f) of injecting a working fluid 30 into the space between the first sheet material 21 and the second sheet material 22 and sealing the space.

[0186] This provides a method for manufacturing a vapor chamber that can suitably manufacture a vapor chamber with particularly excellent heat transport capacity. Furthermore, the manufactured vapor chamber 100 can have excellent flexibility. Therefore, for example, regardless of the material or arrangement to which the vapor chamber 100 is applied, the vapor chamber 100 can be in good contact with the material, and excellent heat transport capacity can be more reliably exhibited.

[0187] [3-1] Vapor chamber manufacturing component preparation process In the vapor chamber manufacturing component preparation process, a vapor chamber manufacturing component 10' made of a material including an uncured resin material 14', in particular a vapor chamber manufacturing component 10' including a fiber base material 13 together with the uncured resin material 14' as described above, is prepared (1a).

[0188] The vapor chamber manufacturing member 10' can be obtained, for example, by impregnating a fiber base material 13 with a composition containing an uncured resin material 14'.

[0189] The composition may contain, for example, the resin material 14' as well as the other components described above. The composition may also contain a solvent. When the composition contains a solvent, the fiber substrate 13 is impregnated with the composition and then the solvent is evaporated, thereby obtaining a vapor chamber manufacturing member 10'.

[0190] The composition may be applied, for example, from the side corresponding to the first surface 11 of the fiber substrate 13, from the side corresponding to the second surface 12 of the fiber substrate 13, or from both the side corresponding to the first surface 11 and the side corresponding to the second surface 12 of the fiber substrate 13.

[0191] Examples of methods for applying the composition to the fiber substrate 13 include coating, spraying, and dipping.

[0192] [3-2] First joining process In the first bonding step, the vapor chamber manufacturing member 10' is bonded to a first sheet material 21 on one of its surfaces, that is, a first surface 11 (1b).

[0193] The uncured resin material 14' constituting the vapor chamber manufacturing member 10' is brought into contact with the first sheet material 21, and by applying pressure, the two can be bonded together properly. By applying heat in addition to pressure, the two can be bonded even more properly.

[0194] [3-3] Exposure process In the exposure step, the vapor chamber manufacturing member 10' bonded to the first sheet material 21 is irradiated with light E in a predetermined pattern (1c).

[0195] As a result, the portions of the resin material 14' irradiated with the light E are selectively cured to become the cured resin material 14. That is, in a pattern corresponding to the irradiation pattern of the light E, it is possible to form cured portions corresponding to the portions that will become the flow path walls 16 made of the cured resin material 14.

[0196] The curing reaction in this step need only proceed to the extent that the uncured resin material 14' can be removed in the subsequent development step while leaving the cured resin 14, and does not have to proceed completely.

[0197] The type of light E irradiated in this step is determined depending on the type of resin material 14', but is preferably ultraviolet light.

[0198] This allows the resin material 14' to be cured appropriately with a relatively short exposure process, thereby improving the productivity of the vapor chamber 100.

[0199] The exposure step may be carried out by scanning light such as laser light in a predetermined pattern, but can be preferably carried out using a photomask.

[0200] [3-4]Developing process In the development step, the uncured resin material 14' in the area not irradiated with the light E in the exposure step is removed (1d).

[0201] This allows the resin material 14' to be removed while leaving the cured resin 14 and the fiber base material 13 (glass fiber 131) remaining. This allows portions that will become the flow path walls 16 to appear in a predetermined pattern, i.e., a pattern that corresponds to the irradiation pattern of the light E.

[0202] The developing step can be suitably carried out by using a developer that selectively dissolves the resin material 14' but does not dissolve the cured resin 14.

[0203] The composition of the developer varies depending on the resin material 14′, the cured resin 14, etc., but for example, when the resin material 14′ contains an alkali-soluble resin as described above, an alkaline aqueous solution such as sodium hydroxide or tetramethylammonium hydroxide can be suitably used.

[0204] [3-5] Second joining process In the second bonding step, the vapor chamber manufacturing member 10' that has undergone the developing step is bonded to a second sheet material 22 on the second surface 12, which is the surface opposite to the first surface 11 (1e).

[0205] The second sheet material 22 and the vapor chamber manufacturing member 10' may be joined by applying an adhesive to the second sheet material 22 or the vapor chamber manufacturing member 10'. However, if the resin material 14' satisfies the above-mentioned conditions (especially if it contains an alkali-soluble resin, a photopolymerizable resin, and a thermosetting resin other than the alkali-soluble resin), the thermosetting resin will develop adhesive properties during the thermal curing process when the vapor chamber manufacturing member 10' is brought into contact with the second sheet material 22 and then heated, thereby achieving particularly excellent bonding strength between the second sheet material 22 and the vapor chamber manufacturing member 10' (wick structure). Similarly, the bonding strength between the first sheet material 21 and the vapor chamber manufacturing member 10' (wick structure) can also be particularly excellent.

[0206] In particular, when the resin material 14' contains a thermosetting resin other than an alkali-soluble resin, it is preferable to perform a heat treatment in this process to make the resin material 14' adhesive and then thermally harden the resin material 14'.

[0207] This allows for better adhesion between the deformation prevention member 10 (wick structure) and the container 20, and also allows for better strength of the deformation prevention member 10 (wick structure), thereby improving the durability and reliability of the vapor chamber 100.

[0208] The heating temperature in this step is preferably 80°C or higher and 250°C or lower, more preferably 90°C or higher and 220°C or lower, and even more preferably 100°C or higher and 200°C or lower.

[0209] This more effectively prevents undesired deterioration of the constituent materials of the vapor chamber 100, and more significantly exhibits the effects described above. Also, the productivity of the vapor chamber 100 can be improved.

[0210] This step may also be performed by combining heating under different conditions. Specifically, for example, a heat treatment under pressure (thermocompression bonding) and a subsequent heat treatment after the pressure is released (post-cure) may be performed in combination.

[0211] The heating time in this step is preferably 0.1 minutes or more and 600 minutes or less. This more effectively prevents undesired deterioration of the constituent materials of the vapor chamber 100, and more significantly exhibits the effects described above. Also, the productivity of the vapor chamber 100 can be improved.

[0212] As described above, when a combination of a heat treatment under pressure (thermocompression bonding) and a subsequent heat treatment after the pressure is released (post-cure) is performed, the treatment time for the heat treatment under pressure (thermocompression bonding) is preferably 0.1 minutes or more and 10 minutes or less, and the treatment time for the heat treatment after the pressure is released (post-cure) is preferably 20 minutes or more and 480 minutes or less.

[0213] [3-6] Hydraulic fluid supply and sealing process In the hydraulic fluid supply and sealing step, hydraulic fluid 30 is injected into the space between the first sheet material 21 and the second sheet material 22, and the space is sealed (1f).

[0214] The hydraulic fluid 30 can be suitably injected, for example, in a state where the space between the first sheet material 21 and the second sheet material 22 is depressurized by vacuuming.

[0215] By reducing the pressure in the space between the first sheet material 21 and the second sheet material 22, the boiling point of the working liquid 30 can be lowered, and the evaporation and condensation cycle of the working liquid 30 can be carried out more efficiently, thereby further enhancing the heat transport effect and the heat uniformity effect.

[0216] After the working fluid 30 is injected, the injection port for the working fluid 30 is sealed, and the wick structure (deformation prevention member 10 and fiber base material 13) and the space containing the working fluid 30 are sealed liquid-tight and airtight.

[0217] The wick structure (the deformation prevention member 10 and the fiber base material 13) and the space containing the working fluid 30 are sealed by forming a sealing portion 23.

[0218] Examples of methods for forming the sealing portion 23 include plating up, laser welding, seam welding, cold pressure welding, diffusion bonding, brazing, and adhesion.

[0219] The above describes a preferred embodiment of the present invention, but the present invention is not limited to the above, and modifications and improvements within the scope of achieving the object of the present invention are included in the present invention.

[0220] For example, the method for manufacturing a vapor chamber may further include other steps in addition to the steps described above.

[0221] Furthermore, the vapor chamber of the present invention is not limited to one manufactured by the method described above, and may be one manufactured by any method.

[0222] For example, in the above-described embodiment, a container is formed using two metal sheet materials (a first sheet material and a second sheet material), but the container may be formed using one metal sheet material, or may be formed using three or more metal sheet materials.

[0223] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the vapor chamber has been mainly described as being used for the purpose of transferring heat from a heat-generating component to a predetermined location, but the vapor chamber may also be used, for example, for the purpose of equalizing the heat of a localized high-temperature portion of a heat-generating component. [Example]

[0224] The present invention will be described in detail below based on examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples.

[0225] Example 1 [4] Vapor chamber manufacturing The vapor chamber of Example 1 was manufactured as follows.

[0226] [4-1] Preparation of resin composition [4-1-1] Synthesis of alkali-soluble resin (resin with alkali-soluble groups and double bonds (curable resin curable by both light and heat: methacrylic modified bisphenol A novolac resin: MPN))

[0227] 500 g of a methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) solution of phenol novolac resin (Phenolite LF-4871, manufactured by DIC Corporation) with a solids content of 60% was placed in a 2 L flask, to which 1.5 g of tributylamine as a catalyst and 0.15 g of hydroquinone as a polymerization inhibitor were added, and the mixture was heated to 100°C.

[0228] Subsequently, 162.6 g of glycidyl methacrylate was added dropwise to the mixture over 30 minutes, and the mixture was stirred at 100°C for 5 hours to allow the reaction to proceed, yielding a methacrylic-modified phenolic novolac resin with a non-volatile content of 69.9%. The methacrylic-modified phenolic novolac resin thus obtained as an alkali-soluble resin contained a (meth)acrylic group and a phenolic hydroxyl group in the molecule. The modification rate of the methacrylic-modified phenolic novolac resin thus obtained (alkali-soluble resin) was 45%.

[0229] [4-1-2] Preparation of resin varnish (resin composition) The following components were weighed: 45 parts by weight of the methacrylic-modified phenol novolac resin (MPN) synthesized as described above as an alkali-soluble resin (curable resin that can be cured both by light and heat); 13 parts by weight of a methacrylic monomer (NK Ester 3G, manufactured by Shin-Nakamura Chemical Co., Ltd.) that is liquid at room temperature as a photopolymerizable resin; 30 parts by weight of a phenol novolac epoxy resin (Epicron N-770, manufactured by DIC Corporation) as a thermosetting resin; and 10 parts by weight of bisphenol F (Bis-F, manufactured by Honshu Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.) as a thermosetting resin. Methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) was added to adjust the resin component concentration to 71% by weight. The mixture was then stirred until the phenol novolac epoxy resin (N-770) was dissolved.

[0230] Then, 1.7 parts by mass of a curing agent (photosensitizer) (Irgacure 651, manufactured by IGM Resins BV) and 0.3 parts by mass of 2-phenyl-4,5-dihydroxyimidazole (2PHZ-PW, manufactured by Shikoku Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.) were added, and the mixture was stirred for 1 hour with a stirring blade (450 rpm) to obtain a resin varnish as a resin composition.

[0231] [4-2] Manufacturing of components for manufacturing vapor chambers Using the resin composition (resin varnish) prepared as described above, a member for manufacturing a vapor chamber was manufactured as follows.

[0232] The fiber substrate was immersed in the resin varnish obtained as described above, so that the resin varnish was impregnated into the gaps between the fibers constituting the fiber substrate.

[0233] Here, the fiber substrate is glass cloth (manufactured by Unitika Ltd., #2116) 95 μm thick, basis weight: 104 g / m 2 A woven fabric with a softening point of 840°C was used.

[0234] Thereafter, the material was heated and dried at 80°C for 15 minutes to obtain a member for manufacturing a vapor chamber.

[0235] The vapor chamber manufacturing component obtained in this manner was in the form of a sheet with a thickness of 150 μm, and as shown in Figure 8, the fiber substrate was present near the center of the thickness direction, and no fibers were present on either side of the vapor chamber manufacturing component.

[0236] [4-3] Manufacturing a Vapor Chamber First, a vapor chamber manufacturing component obtained as described above was prepared (vapor chamber manufacturing component preparation process), and one of its surfaces, the first surface, was bonded to a copper sheet material (thickness: 35 μm) as a first sheet material by utilizing the adhesiveness of the uncured resin material (resin composition) that constitutes the vapor chamber manufacturing component (first bonding process).

[0237] Next, the vapor chamber manufacturing member bonded to the first sheet material was irradiated (exposed) with light using a photomask having openings (light-transmitting portions) in a pattern corresponding to the flow path walls to be formed (exposure step). The exposure was performed using a mercury lamp with a main wavelength of 365 nm, with an exposure dose of 700 mJ / cm. 2 This was done under the following conditions.

[0238] Next, a 3% by mass aqueous solution of tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH), an alkaline aqueous solution, was used as the developer, and processing was carried out under the conditions of developer pressure: 0.2 MPa, development time: 150 seconds, to remove the uncured resin material from the areas that were not irradiated with light during the exposure process (development process).

[0239] Next, the second surface of the vapor chamber manufacturing member that had undergone the development process, which was the surface opposite to the first surface, was brought into contact with a copper sheet material (thickness: 35 μm) as a second sheet material, and pressed with a pressure of 1 MPa. In this state, thermocompression bonding was performed at 170 °C for 1 minute, and then heat treatment (post-cure) was performed in an oven at 180 °C for 90 minutes to firmly bond the vapor chamber manufacturing member and the second sheet material. After that, the curing reaction was completed, and a bonded body was obtained in which the wick structure formed using the vapor chamber manufacturing member was firmly bonded to the first sheet material on the first surface and firmly bonded to the second sheet material on the second surface (second bonding process). That is, in the second bonding process, the vapor chamber manufacturing component and the second sheet material are heated while in contact with each other, and adhesive properties (stickiness) are first exhibited during the thermal curing process of the thermosetting resin, and then, by further heating, the curing reaction of the thermosetting resin is completed.

[0240] After that, the peripheral edges of the first and second sheet materials were joined by copper plating to seal the space between the first and second sheet materials, and then pure water was poured into the space between the first and second sheet materials as a working fluid. Furthermore, the inlet for pouring the pure water was sealed with solder (working fluid supply and sealing process). This resulted in the creation of a vapor chamber.

[0241] The wick structure of the vapor chamber obtained in this manner was 200 μm thick and had the structure shown in Figure 5, extending in its longitudinal direction, made of a material including a cured resin, and having multiple portions that functioned as flow path walls for the working fluid, with the spacing between adjacent flow path walls (i.e., the width of the flow path portion) being 500 μm and the width of the flow path wall being 100 μm.

[0242] (Comparative Example 1) As the fiber substrate, instead of glass cloth (Unitika, #2116), an organic nonwoven fabric (Delstar, Delpore DP3130-48P, 102 μm thick, basis weight: 48 g / m) was used. 2 A vapor chamber was produced in the same manner as in Example 1, except that a cellulose acylate resin (softening point: 110° C.) was used.

[0243] [5] Evaluation A ceramic heater (manufactured by Sakaguchi Electric Heating Co., Ltd., product number: Ultramic, heater part 12 mm square, 2.5 mm thick) was prepared, which allows the heater output to be adjusted and the temperature inside the heater to be measured. When the ceramic heater was set to 4 W and 7 W, the internal temperatures of the heater were 225°C and 310°C, respectively.

[0244] Next, the ceramic heater was set to output 4 W and 7 W, respectively, and the ends of the vapor chambers manufactured in Example 1 and Comparative Example 1 were placed on the ceramic heater, and the temperature inside the ceramic heater was measured when it stabilized. The results are shown in Table 1.

[0245] [Table 1]

[0246] As is clear from Table 1, the vapor chamber of the present invention showed a greater temperature drop when applied to a ceramic heater than the comparative example. This indicates that the vapor chamber of the present invention has particularly excellent heat transport capabilities. It was also confirmed that the vapor chamber of the present invention has excellent flexibility.

[0247] The thickness of the glass fiber constituting the fiber substrate was varied within the range of 1 μm to 100 μm, and the basis weight of the fiber substrate was varied within 1 g / m 2 More than 300g / m 2The thickness of the fiber base material was varied within the range of 10 μm or more and 1000 μm or less, the thickness of the vapor chamber manufacturing component was varied within the range of 10 μm or more and 2000 μm or less, the thickness of the sheet material used to form the container was varied within the range of 12 μm or more and 500 μm or less, and the value of Xf / Xr, where Xf [mass%] is the content of the fiber base material in the vapor chamber manufacturing component and Xr [mass%] is the content of the resin material, was varied within the range of 0.8 or more and 8.0 or less. Vapor chambers were manufactured in the same manner as in the above examples and evaluated in the same manner as above, and excellent effects similar to those described above were obtained.

[0248] In addition, by changing the method of applying resin varnish to the fiber substrate, vapor chamber manufacturing components were manufactured as shown in Figures 7 and 9. Vapor chambers were manufactured in the same manner as in the above examples, except that these vapor chamber manufacturing components were used to form the cross-sectional structures shown in Figures 1, 3, and 4, and evaluations were performed in the same manner as above, and the same excellent effects as above were obtained. In contrast, the vapor chamber of the comparative example did not produce satisfactory results. [Explanation of symbols]

[0249] 100: Vapor chamber 10: Deformation prevention member 10': Vapor chamber manufacturing components 11: First side 12: Second side 13: Fiber base material (fiber sheet) 131: Glass fiber 14': Resin material 14: Cured resin material 15: Flow path part 16: Channel wall 20: Container 21: First sheet material 22: Second sheet material 23: Sealing part 30: Hydraulic fluid (working fluid) S: Interval L: width E: light (exposed light)

Claims

1. a container having an internal cavity; a fiber substrate made of glass fiber and disposed in the hollow portion; A vapor chamber characterized by having a working fluid disposed in the hollow portion.

2. The vapor chamber according to claim 1 , wherein the glass fiber has a thickness of 1 μm or more and 100 μm or less.

3. The basis weight of the fiber substrate is 1 g / m ２ More than 300g / m ２ 3. The vapor chamber according to claim 1 or 2, wherein:

4. The vapor chamber according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the height of the cavity is 10 µm or more and 2000 µm or less.

5. 5. The vapor chamber according to claim 1, wherein the thickness of the fiber substrate is 10 μm or more and 1000 μm or less.

6. 6. The vapor chamber according to claim 1, wherein the container is mainly made of Cu or a Cu alloy.

7. The container is formed by joining sheet materials, 7. The vapor chamber according to claim 1, wherein the thickness of the sheet material is 12 μm or more and 500 μm or less.

8. 8. The vapor chamber according to claim 1, further comprising a deformation prevention member disposed in the hollow portion and having the function of preventing deformation of the container in the thickness direction.

9. The vapor chamber according to claim 8 , wherein the deformation prevention member is integrally formed with the fiber base material.

10. the deformation prevention member has a portion that functions as a flow path wall for the hydraulic fluid, The vapor chamber according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the fiber substrate is disposed so as to penetrate a portion that functions as a flow path wall for the working fluid.

11. A vapor chamber manufacturing component used in manufacturing a vapor chamber, A component for manufacturing a vapor chamber, comprising a fiber substrate made of glass fiber and an uncured resin material.

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