Method for manufacturing a vapor chamber

Abstract

To provide a vapor chamber having especially excellent heat transport capacity.SOLUTION: A vapor chamber 100 has a container 20 formed by joining a sheet material 21 made of a metal material and having a cavity part therein, a fiber base material 13 arranged in the cavity part and made of fibers, and hydraulic liquid 30 arranged in the cavity part, wherein a volume between the fiber base material and the sheet material per unit area in plan view is 1 mm3 / cm2 or more and 25 mm3 / cm2 or less. The fiber base material preferably contains fibers made of a material containing at least one selected from a group consisting of glass, aramid, and polyparaphenylenebenzobisoxazole. A thickness of the fibers is preferably 3.0 μm or more and 20.0 μm or less.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a vapor chamber Manufacturing method This concerns... [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 handheld devices and tablet devices are cooled by heat pipes.

[0003] In recent years, in order to make mobile devices and other devices thinner, development has been progressing on vapor chambers that can be made thinner than heat pipes (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0004] The vapor chamber contains a working fluid, which absorbs heat from the heat-generating component and transfers that heat, thereby cooling the component.

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

[0006] The vapor chamber contains a liquid flow channel that functions as a capillary structure (wick). The liquid working fluid is transported through this liquid flow channel towards the evaporation section, where it is heated again and evaporated.

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

[0008] However, further improvements in heat transport capacity are needed in vapor chambers. [Prior art documents]

Patent Document

[0009]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0010] An object of the present invention is to provide a vapor chamber having particularly excellent heat transport capabilities. Manufacturing method

Means for Solving the Problems

[0011] Such an object is achieved by the present invention of the following (1) to ( 12 ). (1) A container having a cavity inside and 、 A working fluid disposed in the cavity, and having do A vapor chamber A method for manufacturing, A vapor chamber manufacturing component preparation step, which involves preparing a vapor chamber manufacturing component composed of a fibrous base material and an uncured resin material, A first joining step involves joining the vapor chamber manufacturing member to a first sheet material made of a metal material on one of its surfaces, which is a first surface. An exposure step in which light is irradiated in a predetermined pattern onto the vapor chamber manufacturing member bonded to the first sheet material, A developing step in which the uncured resin material in the areas not irradiated with light in the exposure step is removed, and the areas irradiated with light in the exposure step are left as deformation-preventing members composed of cured resin material, ] A second joining step involves joining the vapor chamber manufacturing member, which has undergone the development step, to a second sheet material made of metal on a second surface opposite to the first surface, thereby forming a container having a cavity inside. The process includes a hydraulic fluid supply and sealing step in which hydraulic fluid is injected into the cavity and the cavity is sealed. The aforementioned resin material includes an alkali-soluble resin and a photopolymerizable resin. The volume between the fiber base material and the sheet material per unit area in plan view is 1 mm 3 / cm 2 or more and 25 mm 3 / cm 2 or less, and a vapor chamber characterized by this Manufacturing method .

[0012] (2) The vapor chamber according to (1) above, wherein the fiber base material includes fibers made of a material containing at least one selected from the group consisting of glass, aramid, and polyparaphenylene benzobisoxazole. Manufacturing method .​

[0013] (3) The thickness of the fiber is 3.0 μm or more and 20.0 μm or less, as described in (2) above, for the vapor chamber. Manufacturing method .

[0014] (4) The basis weight of the fiber base material is 10 g / m² 2 More than 250g / m 2 The vapor chamber described in any of the above (1) to (3) is one of the following: Manufacturing method .

[0015] (5) A vapor chamber according to any of (1) to (4) above, wherein the height of the cavity is 10 μm or more and 2000 μm or less. Manufacturing method .

[0016] (6) The thickness of the fiber substrate is 10 μm or more and 1000 μm or less. Manufacturing method .

[0017] (7) The container is a vapor chamber according to any of (1) to (6) above, which is made mainly of Cu or a Cu alloy. Manufacturing method .

[0018] (8) The thickness of the sheet material is 12 μm or more and 500 μm or less. Manufacturing method .

[0020] ( 9 The deformation prevention member is formed integrally with the fiber base material. (1) through (8) The vapor chamber described Manufacturing method .

[0021] ( 10 The deformation prevention member has a portion that functions as a flow path wall for the working fluid, The fibrous substrate is positioned to penetrate the portion that functions as a flow path wall for the working fluid. (1) through (9) The vapor chamber described Manufacturing method .

[0022] (11) The ratio (L / S) of the width L [μm] of the flow path wall to the width S [μm] of the flow path portion of the working fluid is 0.05 or more and 0.50 or less. (10) A method for manufacturing a vapor chamber as described above.

[0023] (12) The above, wherein the contact angle of the working fluid with respect to the flow channel wall at 23°C is greater than 0.1° and less than 120°. (10) or (11) A method for manufacturing a vapor chamber as described above. [Effects of the Invention]

[0024] According to the present invention, a vapor chamber having particularly excellent heat transport capacity Manufacturing method We can provide this. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0025] [Figure 1] This is a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view showing an example of the vapor chamber of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view showing another example of the vapor chamber of the present invention. [Figure 3] This is a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view showing another example of the vapor chamber of the present invention. [Figure 4] This is a schematic plan view showing the wick structure of the vapor chamber of the present invention. [Figure 5] This is a schematic perspective view showing an example of components for manufacturing a vapor chamber. [Figure 6] This is a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view showing an example of a component for manufacturing a vapor chamber. [Figure 7] This is a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view showing another example of a component for manufacturing a vapor chamber. [Figure 8] This is a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view showing an example of a method for manufacturing a vapor chamber according to the present invention. [Figure 9]This is a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view showing an example of a method for manufacturing a vapor chamber according to the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0026] The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the attached figures. [1] Vapor chamber First, the vapor chamber of the present invention will be described.

[0027] Figure 1 is a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view showing an example of the vapor chamber of the present invention. Figures 2 and 3 are schematic longitudinal cross-sectional views showing other examples of the vapor chamber of the present invention, respectively. Figure 4 is a schematic plan view showing the wick structure provided in the vapor chamber of the present invention. Note that the illustration of the fibers 131 is omitted in Figure 4. In the following description, the vapor chamber 100 will be mainly described in the case where the vapor chamber 100 is in contact with the member to which it is applied (heat-generating member) on the lower surface (surface of the first sheet material 211) in Figures 1 to 3, but it may also be used so that the vapor chamber 100 is in contact with the member to which it is applied (heat-generating member) on the upper surface in Figures 1 to 3. Also, although Figures 1 to 3 show the state in which the first sheet material 211 is facing downwards, the orientation of the vapor chamber 100 when using the vapor chamber 100 is not particularly limited, and for example, it may be used with the first sheet material 211 facing upwards.

[0028] Incidentally, in recent years, development has been progressing on vapor chambers used for cooling heat-generating components such as central processing units (CPUs), light-emitting diodes (LEDs), and power semiconductors used in mobile devices such as handheld devices and tablet devices.

[0029] However, current vapor chambers do not have sufficient heat transport capacity, and further improvements in heat transport capacity are needed.

[0030] Therefore, the inventors diligently conducted research with the aim of further improving heat transport capacity, leading to the present invention.

[0031] That is, the vapor chamber 100 is formed by joining a sheet material 21 made of a metal material, and includes a container 20 having a cavity portion inside, a fiber base material 13 made of fibers 131 disposed in the cavity portion, and a working fluid (working fluid) 30 disposed in the cavity portion. And the volume between the fiber base material 13 and the sheet material 21 per unit area when the vapor chamber 100 is viewed in plan is 1 mm 3 / cm 2 or more and 25 mm 3 / cm 2 or less.

[0032] Thereby, a vapor chamber 100 having particularly excellent heat transport ability can be provided.

[0033] It is considered that such excellent effects are obtained for the following reasons. That is, when the volume between the fiber base material 13 and the metal sheet material 21 constituting the container satisfies the above conditions, the working fluid 30 can flow suitably in the cavity portion, and heat can be transferred suitably in the vapor chamber 100. As a result, it is considered that the heat transport ability of the entire vapor chamber 100 can be made excellent.

[0034] On the other hand, when the above conditions are not satisfied, satisfactory results cannot be obtained. For example, when the volume between the fiber base material 13 and the sheet material 21 per unit area when the vapor chamber 100 is viewed in plan is less than the lower limit value, it becomes difficult to sufficiently secure the flow path portion of the working fluid 30, and the heat transport ability of the entire vapor chamber 100 is significantly reduced.

[0035] Furthermore, if the volume between the fiber substrate 13 and the sheet material 21 per unit area when the vapor chamber 100 is viewed from above exceeds the upper limit, effective wetting between the fiber substrate 13 and the sheet material 12 will not occur, making it difficult to efficiently supply the liquid working fluid 30 to the fiber substrate 13, and significantly reducing the overall heat transport capacity of the vapor chamber 100.

[0036] Furthermore, if the sheet material 21 is not made of a metal material, the thermal conductivity between it and the member in contact with the vapor chamber 100 will decrease significantly, and the overall heat transport capacity of the vapor chamber 100 will decrease significantly.

[0037] As mentioned above, the volume per unit area of ​​the vapor chamber 100 when viewed from above is 1 mm². 3 / cm 2 More than 25mm 3 / cm 2 The following is acceptable, but 1.5mm 3 / cm 2 20mm or more 3 / cm 2 Preferably, it is 2 mm 3 / cm 2 18mm or more 3 / cm 2 The following is more preferable: 2.5 mm 3 / cm 2 15mm or more 3 / cm 2 The following is even more preferable: This makes the aforementioned effects even more pronounced.

[0038] Furthermore, "the volume between the fiber substrate 13 and the sheet material 21 per unit area when viewing the vapor chamber 100 from above" refers to the flow path portion of the liquid working fluid 30. More specifically, for example, if the vapor chamber 100 is used in a horizontal position, it refers to the space below the fiber substrate 13 within the cavity of the container 20.

[0039] [1-1] Container The container 20 houses the fiber base material 13 and the working fluid 30. In the evaporation section, it primarily functions to transfer heat to the working fluid 30 stored inside the container 20 by coming into contact with a component to be cooled, such as a heat-generating component. In the condensation section, it functions to dissipate the heat received from the working fluid 30 as it undergoes a phase transition from a gaseous state to a liquid state.

[0040] Container 20 is made of metal material. Metallic materials generally possess high thermal conductivity, as well as excellent strength and ductility. Therefore, for example, the vapor chamber 100 can be made to conform to the shape and adhere to the component to which it is applied (e.g., a component to be cooled, such as a heat-generating component), thereby providing particularly excellent heat transport capacity for the vapor chamber 100, as well as excellent durability for the vapor chamber 100. In particular, since the container 20 can be suitably formed using a relatively thin sheet material 21 made of metal, it is advantageous from the viewpoint of making the vapor chamber 100 thinner and reducing the raw material cost of the vapor chamber 100.

[0041] Examples of metallic materials that make up the container 20 include Cu, Al, Mg, Zn, and alloys containing at least one of these.

[0042] In particular, the metal material constituting the container 20 (sheet material 21) is preferably Cu or a Cu alloy.

[0043] This allows the benefits of providing a container 20 made of metal to be more pronounced. Specifically, Cu or Cu alloy is relatively inexpensive among various metal materials and has particularly excellent thermal conductivity and ductility. Therefore, it can provide particularly excellent shape conformity and adhesion to the component to which the vapor chamber 100 is applied (for example, a component to be cooled such as a heat-generating component), thereby further improving the effective heat transport capacity of the vapor chamber 100. In addition, it can further improve the durability of the vapor chamber 100.

[0044] The thickness of the sheet material 21 is preferably 12 μm or more and 500 μm or less, and more preferably 18 μm or more and 250 μm or less.

[0045] This offers particular advantages in terms of making the vapor chamber 100 thinner, further improving its flexibility and heat transport capacity, and reducing the raw material cost of the vapor chamber 100, as well as improving the durability and reliability of the vapor chamber 100.

[0046] In the illustrated configuration, the container 20 is formed using two sheet materials 21, namely a first sheet material 211 and a second sheet material 212.

[0047] The first sheet material 211 and the second sheet material 212 may be made of the same material or of different materials.

[0048] Furthermore, the first sheet material 211 and the second sheet material 212 may have the same thickness or may have different thicknesses.

[0049] The first sheet material 211 and the second sheet material 212 are sealed at their outer periphery by a sealing portion 23. This seals the cavity containing the deformation prevention member 10 and the working fluid 30, which will be described in detail later, thus maintaining a liquid-tight and airtight state.

[0050] The sealing portion 23 may be made of the same material as the first sheet material 211 or the second sheet material 212, or it may be made of a different material from the first sheet material 211 and the second sheet material 212.

[0051] The sealing portion 23 can be formed, for example, by plating, laser welding, seam welding, cold pressure welding, diffusion bonding, brazing, or adhesive bonding.

[0052] 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.

[0053] This prevents the vapor chamber 100 from becoming unnecessarily thick, while making it easier to adjust the volume between the fiber base material 13 and the sheet material 21 per unit area when the vapor chamber 100 is viewed from above to be within the range described above, and more favorably securing the flow path portion of the working fluid 30 (especially the flow path portion of the gaseous working fluid 30 and the flow path portion of the liquid working fluid 30).

[0054] [1-2] Fiber base material The fibrous substrate 13 is a component having a liquid flow channel portion as a capillary structure, and is composed of a material containing fibers 131. In particular, in the illustrated configuration, the fibrous substrate 13 is composed as a sheet-like substrate (fiber sheet, fibrous substrate).

[0055] By having a sheet-like fibrous base material (fiber sheet) 13, for example, the fibers 131 can be included not in an independent state, but in an intertwined state, and the gaps between the fibers 131 can be easily adjusted to allow capillary action of the liquid working fluid 30. Therefore, the flow path portion of the gaseous working fluid 30 and the flow path portion of the liquid working fluid 30 can be more suitably combined, and the aforementioned effects can be more reliably achieved. Furthermore, the manufacturing of the wick structure, which is an integrally molded product of the deformation prevention member 10 and the fibrous base material 13 as will be described in detail later, becomes easier, and the arrangement and distribution of the fibers 131 in the wick structure can be easily adjusted, and undesirable uneven distribution of fibers 131 in each part of the wick structure (for example, insufficient fibers 131 in the part that should be a flow path portion 15) can be suitably prevented. Furthermore, because the fiber base material 13 is in sheet form, it is possible to suitably prevent the wick structure from becoming unnecessarily thick, and to more suitably prevent unintended deformation of the fiber base material 13 and unintended movement of the fibers 131 within the wick structure during the manufacturing of the vapor chamber 100 (wick structure).

[0056] The fiber 131 may be composed of any material. Examples of constituent materials for the fiber 131 include cotton, hemp, wool, polyester resin, polyamide resin, acrylic resin, aramid, various resins such as aromatic resins containing heterocycles in the molecule (e.g., poly(p-phenylenebenzobisoxazole) and its derivatives), glass, carbon, iron, silver, copper, etc. One or more of these can be selected and used in combination.

[0057] In particular, if the fiber 131 is composed of a material containing at least one selected from the group consisting of glass, aramid, and poly(p-phenylenebenzobisoxazole), the thermal conductivity is higher than that of ordinary plastics such as polypropylene, thus improving the heat transport capacity of the vapor chamber.

[0058] In particular, if the fiber 131 is a glass fiber, the heat transport capacity of the vapor chamber 100 can be made excellent. Furthermore, since glass fibers generally have excellent light transmittance, including ultraviolet light, in the manufacturing method of the vapor chamber 100, which will be detailed later, it is possible to effectively prevent the curing reaction in the exposure process from being unintentionally inhibited, and the productivity and yield of the vapor chamber 100 can be made particularly excellent. In addition, since glass fibers have excellent long-term durability, the long-term durability of the vapor chamber can be made excellent.

[0059] The thickness of the fiber 131 is not particularly limited, but is preferably 3.0 μm or more and 20.0 μm or less, more preferably 3.5 μm or more and 19.0 μm or less, and even more preferably 4.0 μm or more and 18.0 μm or less.

[0060] This prevents the fibrous base material 13 from becoming excessively thick, while ensuring a more favorable gap between the 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.

[0061] In the fiber substrate 13 and the vapor chamber 100, the fibers 131 may be included, for example, in a state where multiple fibers 131 are bundled together, i.e., as fiber bundles. Examples of fiber bundles include multi-twisted yarns, single-twisted yarns, Lang-twisted yarns, braided cords, and the like.

[0062] This prevents the fibrous base material 13 from becoming excessively thick, while ensuring a more favorable gap between the 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.

[0063] The fibrous base material 13 may be, for example, a nonwoven fabric or a woven fabric. If the fiber base material 13 is a woven fabric, examples of such woven fabrics include plain weave, twill weave, satin weave, gauze weave, diagonal weave, double weave, and the like.

[0064] The fibrous base material 13 may have areas where the density of the fibers 131 differs. For example, the fibrous base material 13 may have areas where the density of the fibers 131 differs in the thickness direction.

[0065] The wick structure may include multiple fiber substrates 13. In this case, these fiber substrates 13 may be under the same conditions or under different conditions. When the wick structure includes multiple fiber substrates 13, for example, the multiple fiber substrates 13 may be laminated in the thickness direction of the wick structure.

[0066] Even if the wick structure includes a fiber base material 13, it may further include fibers 131 independent of the fiber base material 13.

[0067] The fiber content 131 in the wick structure is preferably 1% by mass or more and 80% by mass or less, more preferably 3% by mass or more and 75% by mass or less, and even more preferably 5% by mass or more and 70% by mass or less.

[0068] In particular, when the fibers 131 are composed of inorganic materials such as glass or metal, the fiber content of the fibers 131 in the wick structure is preferably 30% by mass or more and 80% by mass or less, more preferably 35% by mass or more and 75% by mass or less, and even more preferably 40% by mass or more and 70% by mass or less.

[0069] Furthermore, when the fiber 131 is composed of an organic material, the fiber 131 content in the wick structure is preferably 1% by mass or more and 30% by mass or less, more preferably 3% by mass or more and 25% by mass or less, and even more preferably 5% by mass or more and 20% by mass or less.

[0070] By satisfying the above-mentioned content ratio conditions, the ratio of the flow path portion of the gaseous working fluid 30 to the flow path portion of the liquid working fluid 30 in the vapor chamber 100 (wick structure) can be made more favorable.

[0071] The wick structure described above may be formed by any method, but it is preferable that it be formed using the vapor chamber manufacturing member 10' described later.

[0072] This allows the vapor chamber 100 to be manufactured with high productivity and high yield, for example, by the method described later, thereby improving the reliability of the vapor chamber 100.

[0073] If the wick structure is formed using a vapor chamber manufacturing component 10' as described later, the wick structure may be manufactured using one vapor chamber manufacturing component 10' or using multiple vapor chamber manufacturing components 10'. When multiple vapor chamber manufacturing components 10' are used, these vapor chamber manufacturing components 10' may be arranged in the planar direction of the wick structure or arranged (stacked) in the thickness direction of the wick structure.

[0074] The sheet-like fibrous base material 13 (fibers 131) may be unevenly distributed, for example, as shown in Figure 1, near the center in the thickness direction of the wick structure; as shown in Figure 2, it may be unevenly distributed on the second surface 12 side of the wick structure; or as shown in Figure 3, it may be unevenly distributed on the first surface 11 side of the wick structure. Alternatively, the sheet-like fibrous base material 13 (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 fiber content of the fibers 131 near the center in the thickness direction of the wick structure may be lower compared to these areas.

[0075] The basis weight of the fiber base material 13 is 10 g / m².2 More than 250g / m 2 Preferably, it is 12 g / m 2 More than 220g / m 2 The following is more preferable.

[0076] This prevents the fibrous base material 13 from becoming excessively thick, while ensuring a more favorable gap between the 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.

[0077] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the fibrous base material 13 is arranged to penetrate the flow channel wall 16 of the deformation prevention member 10, which will be described later.

[0078] This more effectively prevents unintended movement of the fibers 131 in the vapor chamber 100, resulting in a more pronounced effect than previously described. Furthermore, the stability of the deformation prevention member 10 and the wick structure is improved, leading to greater durability and reliability of the vapor chamber 100. Additionally, the ease of handling of the vapor chamber manufacturing components 10', the deformation prevention member 10, and the wick structure during the manufacturing of the vapor chamber 100, as detailed later, is improved.

[0079] The thickness of the fibrous 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.

[0080] This prevents the fiber substrate 13 and wick structure from becoming excessively thick, while making it easier to adjust the volume between the fiber substrate 13 and the sheet material 21 per unit area when the vapor chamber 100 is viewed from above, so that it is within the range described above. Furthermore, the gaps between the fibers 131 can be secured in a more favorable state, and the transport capacity of the liquid working fluid 30 by capillary action in the vapor chamber 100 can be further improved. As a result, the heat transport capacity of the vapor chamber 100 can be further improved.

[0081] The fiber base material 13 may be plasma-treated. This makes it easier to control the contact angle of the working fluid 30 with respect to the fibrous substrate 13 so that it satisfies the aforementioned conditions. In particular, when the fibrous substrate 13 contains fibers 131 made of a material comprising at least one selected from the group consisting of glass, aramid, and poly(p-phenylenebenzobisoxazole), the contact angle of the working fluid 30 with respect to the fibrous substrate 13 can be made to satisfy more favorable conditions. As a result, the aforementioned effects are exhibited more significantly.

[0082] Examples of plasma treatments include those using hydrogen, argon, nitrogen, and oxygen gases. One or more gases selected from these can be used in combination, but oxygen gas is preferred.

[0083] This allows for more favorable plasma treatment while suppressing undesirable variations in the degree of plasma treatment at each part of the fibrous substrate 13. Furthermore, it becomes easier to control the contact angle of the working fluid 30 with respect to the fibrous substrate 13 to satisfy the aforementioned conditions.

[0084] [1-3] Hydraulic fluid In the hollow portion of the container 20, the working fluid 30 is placed together with the fibrous base material 13.

[0085] The working fluid 30 primarily functions to transport heat within the cavities inside the container 20.

[0086] 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, ammonia, and propane.

[0087] Among these, water is preferred as the working fluid 30. As a result, the liquid and gaseous working fluid 30 can flow more effectively through the space between the fibrous base material 13 and the sheet material 21, and through the gaps in the fibers 131, satisfying the aforementioned volume requirements, and the effects described above are more pronounced. Furthermore, since water is a substance that offers an excellent balance between heat capacity and ease of evaporation and condensation when used as the working fluid 30, it can improve the effective heat transport capacity of the vapor chamber 100. It is also preferable from the viewpoint of reducing the production cost of the vapor chamber 100, safety, and environmental impact.

[0088] The ratio of the volume of the working fluid 30 in the cavity of the container 20 (the volume when all of the working fluid 30 in the cavity of the container 20 is in a liquid state) to the volume of the cavity of the container 20 (the space inside the container 20 where the working fluid may exist in a liquid or gaseous 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.

[0089] This makes the movement of the working fluid 30 in liquid and gaseous states within the cavity of the container 20 more favorable, and the heat transport capacity of the vapor chamber 100 can be made particularly excellent.

[0090] [1-4] Deformation prevention member In this embodiment, a deformation prevention member 10, which has the function of preventing deformation of the container 20 in the thickness direction (for example, deformation when the cavity is depressurized to lower the boiling point of the working fluid 30), is placed in the cavity inside the container 20 along with the fibrous base material 13 and the working fluid 30.

[0091] By arranging such deformation prevention member 10 in the cavity of the container 20, a more suitable flow path for the working fluid 30 can be secured in the cavity of the container 20, and the flow of the working fluid 30 in the cavity can be more effectively prevented from being obstructed due to deformation of the container 20.

[0092] 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 present is the flow path portion 15 for the working fluid 30.

[0093] The width L of the channel wall 16 (width in a cross-section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the channel 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.

[0094] This effectively prevents unintended deformation of the container 20 in the thickness direction. In particular, when the deformation prevention member 10 is made of a resin material, if the width of the flow channel wall 16 is within the aforementioned range, the flexibility of the vapor chamber 100 can be made particularly excellent.

[0095] In the illustrated configuration, the deformation prevention member 10 has multiple portions that function as flow channel walls 16 extending in its longitudinal direction.

[0096] The spacing S between adjacent channel walls 16 (i.e., the width of the channel 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.

[0097] This allows for smoother movement of the working fluid 30 (gaseous working fluid 30 and liquid working fluid 30) while suppressing an increase in the size of the deformation prevention member 10 and the vapor chamber 100. Furthermore, it is possible to sufficiently prevent unintended deformation of the container 20 in the thickness direction. 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 within the aforementioned range, the flexibility of the vapor chamber 100 can be made particularly excellent.

[0098] The ratio (L / S) of the width L [μm] of the channel wall 16 to the width S [μm] of the channel 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.

[0099] This effectively prevents unintended deformation of the container 20 in the thickness direction. In particular, when the deformation prevention member 10 is made of a resin material, if L / S is within the range, the flexibility of the vapor chamber 100 can be made particularly excellent. Furthermore, while suppressing an increase in the size of the deformation prevention member 10 and the vapor chamber 100, the heat transport capacity and durability of the vapor chamber 100 can be improved. On the other hand, if the value of L / S is below the lower limit, deformation in the thickness direction of the container 20 is more likely to occur depending on the thickness of the sheet material 21 constituting the container 20, the constituent materials, etc. Also, if the value of L / S exceeds the upper limit, the heat transport efficiency decreases.

[0100] In the illustrated configuration, the flow channel portion 15 and the flow channel wall 16 have a constant width, but they may have portions with different widths.

[0101] Furthermore, in the illustrated configuration, the flow channel portion 15 and the flow channel wall 16 are provided in a straight line in one direction, but they may also have curved or bent portions.

[0102] The channel wall 16 may be plasma-treated. This makes it easier to control the wettability (contact angle) of the working fluid 30 with respect to the flow channel wall 16 to satisfy favorable conditions. In particular, when the deformation prevention member 10 is made of a resin material as described later (especially when the vapor chamber 100 is manufactured using a vapor chamber manufacturing member 10' as described later), the contact angle of the working fluid 30 with respect to the flow channel wall 16 can be made to satisfy more favorable conditions. As a result, the effects described later are exhibited more significantly.

[0103] Examples of plasma treatments include those using hydrogen, argon, nitrogen, and oxygen gases. One or more gases selected from these can be used in combination, but oxygen gas is preferred.

[0104] This allows for more favorable plasma processing while suppressing undesirable variations in the degree of plasma processing at each part of the flow channel wall 16. Furthermore, it becomes easier to control the contact angle of the working fluid 30 with respect to the flow channel wall 16 to satisfy the aforementioned conditions.

[0105] The contact angle of the working fluid 30 with respect to the flow channel wall 16 at 23°C is preferably greater than 0.1° and less than 120°, more preferably greater than 0.1° and less than 110°, and even more preferably greater than 0.1° and less than 100°.

[0106] This improves the wettability of the working fluid 30 with respect to the flow path wall 16, allowing the working fluid 30 to move more smoothly, and as a result, the overall heat transport capacity of the vapor chamber 100 is improved.

[0107] On the other hand, if the contact angle of the working fluid 30 with respect to the flow channel wall 16 at 23°C is too large, the wettability of the working fluid 30 with respect to the flow channel wall 16 will be poor, preventing the smooth movement of the working fluid 30. As a result, this may lead to a significant decrease in the overall heat transport capacity of the vapor chamber 100.

[0108] 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.

[0109] This prevents the vapor chamber 100 from becoming unnecessarily thick, while more effectively 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).

[0110] The deformation prevention member 10 may be made of any material, but it is preferably made of a resin material.

[0111] This is advantageous in making the vapor chamber 100 lighter and more flexible.

[0112] 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 thermosetting resin, as will be described in detail later).

[0113] This makes the durability and reliability of the vapor chamber 100 even better.

[0114] Furthermore, the deformation prevention member 10 may contain an alkali-soluble resin, as will be described in detail later.

[0115] The deformation-preventing member 10 may contain components other than resin material. Examples of such components include fillers, ultraviolet absorbers, leveling agents, coupling agents, flame retardants, and antioxidants.

[0116] However, the content of components other than resin material in the deformation-preventing member 10 (the sum of the content of multiple types of components if they are included) is preferably 10.0% by mass or less, more preferably 7.0% by mass or less, and even more preferably 5.0% by mass or less.

[0117] 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 surface, the first surface 11, is in contact with the first sheet material 211, and the other surface, the second surface 12, is in contact with the second sheet material 212), but other members 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, for example, via other members.

[0118] In this embodiment, the deformation prevention member 10 is integrally formed with the fiber base material 13. In other words, the integrally molded product of the deformation prevention member 10 and the fiber base material 13 is a wick structure that has the function of preventing deformation in the thickness direction of the container, and also facilitates the flow of the working fluid 30 associated with heat transport, particularly the flow of the working fluid 30 vaporized by heat absorption in the evaporation section of the container 20, and the flow of the working fluid 30 condensed by heat dissipation in the condensation section of the container 20.

[0119] In particular, the wick structure includes a deformation-preventing member 10 and a fiber base material 13, and the fiber base material 13 (fibers 131) is provided in a portion of the fluid flow path 15 of the working fluid 30 where the deformation-preventing member 10 is not provided.

[0120] As described above, since the deformation prevention member 10 is integrally formed with the fiber base material 13, for example, the flow path portion 15 can be made to have a flow path portion for the gaseous working fluid 30 (a portion of the flow path portion 15 in which fibers 131 are not present, or a portion in which the density of fibers 131 is low) and a flow path portion for the liquid working fluid 30 (a portion of the flow path portion 15 in which fibers 131 are present, or a portion in which the density of fibers 131 is high), thereby functionally separating the flow path for the liquid working fluid 30 and the flow path for the gaseous working fluid 30. As a result, the heat transport capacity of the vapor chamber 100 can be made particularly excellent. Furthermore, the durability of the vapor chamber 100 can also be made better.

[0121] [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.

[0122] This prevents the vapor chamber 100 from becoming thicker while allowing the movement of the working fluid 30 (gas-like working fluid 30 and liquid working fluid 30) to be smoother. 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.

[0123] [1-6] Usage of vapor chambers Next, we will describe examples of usage configurations for the vapor chamber of the present invention.

[0124] The vapor chamber of the present invention may be used, for example, to transfer heat from a heat-generating component to a predetermined location, or to equalize the heat of a locally high-temperature part of a heat-generating component.

[0125] As described 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 predetermined location or uniformly heating a localized high-temperature area of ​​a heat-generating component.

[0126] The following description will primarily focus on the case in which the vapor chamber of the present invention is used for the purpose of transferring heat from a predetermined component (heat-generating component).

[0127] When used for the purpose of cooling a heat-generating component (e.g., a CPU), the vapor chamber is used in such a state that a portion of its surface (the evaporation area) is in contact with the heat-generating component itself or a component made of a highly thermally conductive material that comes into contact with it (e.g., a thermal conductive sheet) (hereinafter, these are collectively referred to as "heat-generating components, etc.").

[0128] In this case, the vapor chamber may be in contact with a heat dissipation member (e.g., a heat sink) or a member made of a highly thermally conductive material that comes into contact with it (e.g., a thermal conductive sheet) (hereinafter collectively referred to as "heat dissipation member, etc.") in the condensation section, which is a different part from the evaporation section, that is, the part that dissipates heat received from the heat-generating member.

[0129] 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 later), the vapor chamber 100 will have excellent flexibility.

[0130] When there is a step between the area where the heat-generating component is installed and the area where the heat-dissipating component should be installed, if conventional heat pipes or vapor chambers with poor flexibility are used, it is necessary to install spacers (e.g., metal spacers) to eliminate or mitigate the step, which leads to problems such as increased costs due to the increase in parts and increased weight of the entire device. However, with the above configuration, the vapor chamber 100 has excellent flexibility, and can be suitably subjected to bending, for example, so even if the aforementioned spacers are omitted, a good state of contact with other components (heat-generating component and heat-dissipating component, etc.) in the condensing and evaporation sections can be ensured. Therefore, the above problems can be suitably resolved while exhibiting good heat dissipation performance.

[0131] Furthermore, by curving and bending the vapor chamber 100, interference with other components can be suitably avoided, thereby increasing the degree of freedom in the layout of each component in a device equipped with a heating element.

[0132] Furthermore, since the shape of the flow path portion 15 and flow path wall 16 of the vapor chamber 100 (wick structure) can be suitably adjusted, for example, not only simple shapes such as rectangles, but also complex shapes such as shapes with notches, and vapor chambers 100 having flow path portions 15 and flow path walls 16 corresponding to such shapes can be suitably manufactured. Therefore, for example, it is possible to increase the contact area with heat-generating members and heat-dissipating members while suitably eliminating interference with other members. As a result, better heat dissipation performance can be achieved.

[0133] Furthermore, in cases where a motor, which acts as a heat-generating component, is housed in a casing (for example, the joints of a multi-joint robot), a combination of an aluminum molded body and a heat-conducting sheet was sometimes used inside the casing to dissipate the heat from the motor to the outside through the casing. However, this resulted in the casing becoming larger. In contrast, when using the vapor chamber 100 described above, there is no need to use an aluminum molded body, which is advantageous in terms of miniaturizing the casing and reducing the number of parts.

[0134] [2] Components for manufacturing vapor chambers Next, we will describe a vapor chamber manufacturing component that can be suitably used in the manufacture of the vapor chamber of the present invention, as described above, particularly in the manufacture of the deformation-preventing member (wick structure) provided in the vapor chamber.

[0135] Figure 5 is a schematic perspective view showing an example of a component for manufacturing a vapor chamber. Figure 6 is a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view showing an example of a component for manufacturing a vapor chamber. Figure 7 is a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view showing another example of a component for manufacturing a vapor chamber.

[0136] The vapor chamber manufacturing component 10' includes a fibrous base material 13 and an uncured resin material 14'.

[0137] This makes it possible to provide a vapor chamber manufacturing component 10' that is suitable for use in manufacturing a vapor chamber 100 that is highly flexible and has particularly excellent heat transport capacity. Furthermore, because the flexibility of the vapor chamber 100 can be improved, the adhesion between the vapor chamber 100 and the component can be improved regardless of the component to which the vapor chamber 100 is applied or its arrangement, thereby more reliably demonstrating its excellent heat transport capacity.

[0138] Such excellent effects can be obtained for the following reasons. Specifically, because the vapor chamber manufacturing component 10' includes a fiber base material 13 and an uncured resin material 14', the wick structure formed using the vapor chamber manufacturing component 10' can be made of a material including the fiber base material 13 and the cured resin 14, allowing the vapor chamber 100 as a whole to exhibit excellent flexibility. Furthermore, because the vapor chamber manufacturing component 10' includes an uncured resin material 14', for example, by irradiating it with light (exposure light) in a predetermined pattern in a method described later, it is possible to suitably form the flow path portion 15 of the working fluid 30 in the vapor chamber 100, in particular the flow path portion of the gaseous working fluid 30 (the portion of the flow path portion 15 in which fibers 131 do not exist, or the portion in which the density of fibers 131 is low) and the flow path portion of the liquid working fluid 30 (the portion of the flow path portion 15 in which fibers 131 exist, or the portion in which the density of fibers 131 is high). 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 speeds up the evaporation and condensation cycle of the working fluid 30, and makes the overall heat transport capacity of the vapor chamber 100 particularly excellent. However, some of the liquid working fluid 30 may flow through the flow path portion of the gaseous working fluid 30 (the portion of the flow path portion 15 in which there are no fibers 131, or the portion in which the density of fibers 131 is low), or some of the gaseous working fluid 30 may flow through the flow path portion of the liquid working fluid 30 (the portion of the flow path portion 15 in which there are fibers 131, or the portion in which the density of fibers 131 is high).

[0139] Furthermore, the shape 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 component 10' can be suitably adjusted according to the application and application area of ​​the vapor chamber 100. In other words, it offers excellent on-demand capabilities. Moreover, the vapor chamber 100 (wick structure, deformation prevention member 10) can be suitably manufactured by general processes such as light irradiation and heat treatment, and a vapor chamber 100 with the above-mentioned excellent characteristics can be manufactured without performing complicated metal processing. In addition, 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, and alignment of these parts is unnecessary, thus achieving high productivity and high yield in the manufacturing of the vapor chamber 100.

[0140] The uncured resin material 14' can be any curable resin material in which the curing reaction has not yet been completed, and may also be a resin material in which the curing reaction has partially progressed, for example, a resin material in stage B.

[0141] Furthermore, by including a fiber base material 13 in which multiple fibers 131 are intertwined, it becomes easier to adjust the gaps between the fibers 131 in the vapor chamber manufacturing member 10' to a state where the liquid working fluid 30 is easily subjected to capillary action, and it also becomes easier to adjust the placement of the 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 formed more favorably, and the aforementioned effects can be more reliably achieved. In addition, the manufacturing of the vapor chamber manufacturing member 10' becomes easier, and it becomes easier to adjust the placement and distribution of the fibers 131 in the vapor chamber manufacturing member 10', and for example, undesirable uneven distribution of fibers 131 in each part of the vapor chamber manufacturing member 10' (for example, insufficient fibers 131 in the part that should be a flow path portion 15) can be suitably prevented.

[0142] [2-1] Resin materials The vapor chamber manufacturing component 10' contains an uncured resin material 14'.

[0143] The resin material 14' may contain an uncured curable resin, may be partially cured (for example, a B-stage resin), or may contain a thermoplastic resin in addition to the uncured curable resin.

[0144] In particular, the resin material 14' preferably contains an alkali-soluble resin and a photopolymerizable resin.

[0145] As a result, in the method described later, a predetermined pattern can be suitably formed by the exposure step and the development step, and in the development step, an alkaline aqueous solution with a lower environmental impact can be suitably used instead of an organic solvent, which is widely used as a developer.

[0146] The following describes alkali-soluble resins. Examples of alkali-soluble resins include novolac 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, etc.; and polyamide resins (specifically, resins having at least one of a polybenzoxazole structure and a polyimide structure, and having hydroxyl groups, carboxyl groups, ether groups, or ester groups in the main chain or side chain; resins having a polybenzoxazole precursor structure; resins having a polyimide precursor structure; resins having a polyamic acid ester structure, etc.).

[0147] As the alkali-soluble resin, for example, a resin having alkali-soluble groups and double bonds can be suitably used.

[0148] As a result, when removing unreacted resin at the double bond portion during the developing process, an alkaline aqueous solution with a lower environmental impact can be applied instead of the organic solvent normally used as a developer. Furthermore, since the double bond portion contributes to the curing reaction, the heat resistance of the cured resin product 14, which is formed when the resin material 14' hardens, can be maintained.

[0149] Examples of resins having alkali-soluble groups and double bonds include curable resins that can be cured by both light and heat.

[0150] Examples of alkali-soluble groups include hydroxyl groups and carboxyl groups. These alkali-soluble groups can also contribute to thermosetting reactions.

[0151] Examples of such resins include thermosetting resins having photoreactive groups such as acryloyl groups, methacryloyl groups, and vinyl groups, and photocurable resins having thermally reactive groups such as phenolic hydroxyl groups, alcoholic hydroxyl groups, carboxyl groups, and acid anhydride groups. Furthermore, photocurable resins may also have thermally reactive groups such as epoxy groups, amino groups, and cyanate groups. Specifically, examples include (meth)acrylic-modified phenolic resins, (meth)acryloyl group-containing acrylic acid polymers, and carboxyl group-containing (epoxy)acrylates.

[0152] 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.

[0153] This allows for more effective removal of unreacted resin during the developing process using an alkaline aqueous solution, thereby improving the productivity of the vapor chamber 100 and the reliability of the manufactured vapor chamber 100.

[0154] In particular, if the alkali-soluble resin contains both (meth)acrylic groups and phenolic hydroxyl groups, the above-mentioned effects can be obtained, and the resolution of the resin material 14' in the manufacturing method of the vapor chamber 100 described later, that is, the reproducibility of the pattern in the exposure process, can be improved. Such effects are more pronounced when a (meth)acrylic-modified phenolic resin is used among alkali-soluble resins containing both (meth)acrylic groups and phenolic hydroxyl groups.

[0155] (Meth)acrylic-modified phenolic resins can be obtained, for example, by reacting the phenolic hydroxyl group of a novolac resin, such as phenol novolac resin, cresol novolac resin, or bisphenol A novolac resin, with a compound having a glycidyl group, such as glycidyl acrylate or glycidyl methacrylate, and a (meth)acrylic group. Among these, methacrylic-modified phenolic resins obtained by reacting phenol novolac with glycidyl methacrylate and methacrylic-modified phenolic resins obtained by reacting bisphenol A novolac resin with glycidyl methacrylate are preferred.

[0156] This allows the effects described above to be exhibited more clearly. Specifically, it becomes possible to more effectively remove unreacted resin during the development process using an alkaline aqueous solution, thereby improving the productivity of the vapor chamber 100, the reliability of the manufactured vapor chamber 100, and the reproducibility of the pattern in the exposure process.

[0157] When using a thermosetting resin having photoreactive groups as the alkali-soluble resin, the modification rate (substitution rate) of the photoreactive groups is not particularly limited, but it is preferably 20 mol% to 80 mol% of the total reactive groups of the alkali-soluble groups and the resin having double bonds, and more preferably 30 mol% to 70 mol%.

[0158] This makes it possible to improve the resolution of the resin material 14' in the manufacturing method of the vapor chamber 100 as described later, that is, the reproducibility of the pattern in the exposure process. As a result, it 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.

[0159] On the other hand, when using a photocurable resin having a thermally reactive group, the modification rate (substitution rate) of the thermally reactive group is not particularly limited, but it is preferably 20 mol% to 80 mol% of the total reactive groups of the alkali-soluble group and the resin having a double bond, and more preferably 30 mol% to 70 mol%.

[0160] This makes it possible to improve the resolution of the resin material 14' in the manufacturing method of the vapor chamber 100 as described later, that is, the reproducibility of the pattern in the exposure process. As a result, it 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.

[0161] The weight-average molecular weight of the resin having the alkali-soluble group and double bond is not particularly limited, but is preferably 300,000 or less, and more preferably 5,000 to 150,000.

[0162] This allows for sufficiently stable shape retention of the resin material 14' in the vapor chamber manufacturing component 10', while also enabling more favorable removal of the resin material 14' during the developing process.

[0163] The weight-average molecular weight can be evaluated, for example, using GPC, and can be calculated using a calibration curve prepared in advance using styrene standard materials. In particular, it can be measured using tetrahydrofuran (THF) as the measurement solvent under a temperature of 40°C.

[0164] The content of 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.

[0165] This allows for excellent shape stability of the resin material 14' in the vapor chamber manufacturing component 10', while also improving resolution in the exposure process and developability in the development process. Furthermore, the heat treatment during the manufacturing process of the vapor chamber 100 improves the bonding strength and adhesion between the deformation prevention member 10 (wick structure) and the container 20 (first sheet material 211, second sheet material 212).

[0166] Next, we will explain photopolymerizable resins. The resin material 14' can be improved in patternability by including a photopolymerizable resin along with the aforementioned alkali-soluble resin.

[0167] 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 can be selected and used in combination.

[0168] Among these, UV-curable resins mainly composed of acrylic compounds are preferred. Acrylic compounds have a fast curing speed when irradiated with light (exposure light), and the resin material 14' can be suitably patterned with a relatively small amount of exposure.

[0169] Examples of acrylic compounds include monomers of acrylic acid esters and methacrylic acid esters, and more specifically, difunctional 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.

[0170] Among these, (meth)acrylic acid esters are preferred, and acrylic acid esters and alkyl methacrylates with 1 to 15 carbon atoms in the ester moiety are more preferred. This improves reactivity and enhances sensitivity in the exposure process.

[0171] Furthermore, the photopolymerizable resin is not particularly limited, but it is preferable that it is liquid at room temperature (23°C).

[0172] This improves the curing reactivity to exposure light (especially ultraviolet light). It also facilitates mixing with other components (e.g., alkali-soluble resins). Examples of photopolymerizable resins that are liquid at room temperature include the aforementioned ultraviolet-curable resins mainly composed of acrylic compounds.

[0173] The weight-average molecular weight of the photopolymerizable resin is not particularly limited, but is preferably 5,000 or less, and more preferably 150 to 3,000.

[0174] This improves the reactivity of the resin material 14', thereby improving sensitivity in the exposure process and enhancing the resolution of the resin material 14'.

[0175] 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.

[0176] This makes it possible to achieve a higher level of both heat resistance and flexibility in the cured resin product 14 formed by the curing of the resin material 14'. Furthermore, it is possible to improve the resolution of the resin material 14' in the manufacturing method of the vapor chamber 100 as described later, that is, the reproducibility of the pattern in the exposure process. As a result, it 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.

[0177] When the content of alkali-soluble resin in the resin material 14' is XA [mass%] and the content of photopolymerizable resin in the resin material 14' is XP [mass%], it is preferable that the relationship 0.15 ≤ XP / XA ≤ 0.90 is satisfied, more preferably that 0.19 ≤ XP / XA ≤ 0.87 is satisfied, and even more preferably that 0.22 ≤ XP / XA ≤ 0.33 is satisfied.

[0178] This makes it possible to further improve the stability of the shape of the resin material 14' in the vapor chamber manufacturing component 10' by balancing the resolution in the exposure process, the developability in the development process, the bonding strength and adhesion between the deformation prevention member 10 (wick structure) and the container 20 (first sheet material 211, second sheet material 212), and the heat resistance and flexibility of the cured resin product 14 formed by the curing of the resin material 14'.

[0179] If 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.

[0180] This makes it possible to improve the heat resistance of the deformation prevention member 10 (wick structure). Furthermore, it is possible to achieve suitable adhesion during the manufacturing process of the vapor chamber 100, which will be described later, and to improve the bonding strength and adhesion between the deformation prevention member 10 (wick structure) and the container 20 (first sheet material 211, second sheet material 212).

[0181] Examples of the thermosetting resins 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; biphenyl-type epoxy resin, stilbene-type epoxy resin, triphenolmethane-type epoxy resin, alkyl-modified triphenolmethane-type epoxy resin, triazine nucleus-containing epoxy resin, 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, resin having a benzoxazine ring, and cyanate ester resin. One or more of these can be selected and used in combination. Among these, epoxy resins are particularly preferred as the thermosetting resin. This makes it possible to improve the heat resistance of the cured resin product 14 formed by the curing of the resin material 14', and the adhesion of the cured resin product 14 formed by the curing of the resin material 14' to the fiber substrate 13, the first sheet material 211, and the second sheet material 212.

[0182] In particular, it is preferable to use a silicone-modified epoxy resin as the epoxy resin, and it is even more preferable to use in combination a solid epoxy resin at room temperature (especially a bisphenol-type epoxy resin) and a liquid epoxy resin at room temperature (especially a silicone-modified epoxy resin that is liquid at room temperature).

[0183] This makes it possible to achieve an even higher level of both heat resistance and flexibility in the cured resin product 14 formed by the curing of the resin material 14'. Furthermore, it is possible to further improve the resolution of the resin material 14' in the manufacturing method of the vapor chamber 100 as described later, that is, the reproducibility of the pattern in the exposure process. As a result, it 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.

[0184] 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.

[0185] This makes it possible to achieve a higher level of both heat resistance and toughness in the cured resin product 14 formed by the curing of the resin material 14'.

[0186] When the content of alkali-soluble resin in the resin material 14' is XA [mass%] and the content of thermosetting resin in the resin material 14' is XT [mass%], it is preferable that the relationship 0.20 ≤ XT / XA ≤ 1.5 is satisfied, more preferably that the relationship 0.30 ≤ XT / XA ≤ 1.2 is satisfied, and even more preferably that the relationship 0.55 ≤ XT / XA ≤ 0.80 is satisfied.

[0187] 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 resin cured product 14 formed when the resin material 14' hardens, and the bonding strength and adhesion between the deformation prevention member 10 (wick structure) and the container 20 (first sheet material 211, second sheet material 212).

[0188] 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.

[0189] By satisfying the above-mentioned content ratio conditions, the ratio of the flow path portion for gaseous working fluid 30 to the flow path portion for liquid working fluid 30 in the vapor chamber 100 (wick structure) manufactured using the vapor chamber manufacturing component 10' can be made more favorable.

[0190] In the vapor chamber manufacturing component 10', when the content of the fiber base material 13 is Xf [mass%] and the content of the resin material 14' is Xr [mass%], it is preferable that the relationship 0.8 ≤ Xf / Xr ≤ 8.0 is satisfied, more preferably that 1.0 ≤ Xf / Xr ≤ 7.0 is satisfied, and even more preferably that 2.0 ≤ Xf / Xr ≤ 6.0 is satisfied.

[0191] By satisfying the above-described relationship of content ratios, the ratio of the flow path portion for gaseous working fluid 30 to the flow path portion for liquid working fluid 30 in the vapor chamber 100 (wick structure) manufactured using the vapor chamber manufacturing component 10' can be made more favorable.

[0192] [2-2] Fiber base material The vapor chamber manufacturing component 10' of this embodiment includes a fibrous base material 13.

[0193] The fibrous base material 13 contained in the vapor chamber manufacturing component 10' preferably satisfies the same conditions as the fibrous base material 13 described above as a constituent material of the vapor chamber 100 (wick structure). This will produce the same effect as described above.

[0194] [2-3] Hardener The vapor chamber manufacturing component 10' may further contain a curing agent.

[0195] The curing agent (photosensitive agent) is not particularly limited as long as it cures the resin material 14'. Examples include benzophenone, acetophenone, benzoin, benzoin isobutyl ether, benzoin methyl benzoate, benzoin benzoic acid, benzoin methyl ether, benzylphenyl sulfide, benzyl, dibenzyl, diacetyl, etc., and one or more selected from these can be used in combination.

[0196] 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.

[0197] This ensures that the storage stability of the vapor chamber manufacturing component 10' is sufficiently excellent, while also allowing the photopolymerization reaction to be more effectively initiated and carried out during the manufacturing of the vapor chamber 100, as described later.

[0198] [2-4] Other ingredients The vapor chamber manufacturing component 10' may contain components other than those described above (hereinafter also referred to as "other components"). Examples of such components include fillers, ultraviolet absorbers, leveling agents, coupling agents, flame retardants, antioxidants, etc., and one or more of these can be selected and used in combination.

[0199] However, the content of other components in the vapor chamber manufacturing member 10' is preferably 7.0% by mass or less, more preferably 5.0% by mass or less, and even more preferably 3.0% by mass or less.

[0200] [2-5] Overall configuration of components for manufacturing a vapor chamber The shape of the vapor chamber manufacturing component 10' is not particularly limited, but in the illustrated configuration, it is sheet-like.

[0201] This makes it possible to suitably manufacture a sheet-like vapor chamber 100 (wick structure).

[0202] If the vapor chamber manufacturing member 10' is in the form of a sheet, the sheet-like fibrous base material 13 (fibers 131) may be unevenly distributed near the center in the thickness direction of the vapor chamber manufacturing member 10', as shown in Figure 6, or it may be unevenly distributed on one side of the vapor chamber manufacturing member 10', as shown in Figure 7. Alternatively, the sheet-like fibrous base material 13 (fibers 131) may be unevenly distributed on both sides of the vapor chamber manufacturing member 10', and the fiber content of the fibers 131 near the center in the thickness direction of the vapor chamber manufacturing member 10' may be lower compared to these areas.

[0203] 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.

[0204] This prevents the vapor chamber 100 manufactured using the vapor chamber manufacturing component 10' from becoming unnecessarily thick, while more effectively forming the flow path portion for the gaseous working fluid 30 and the flow path portion for the liquid working fluid 30.

[0205] [3] Method for manufacturing a vapor chamber Next, the method for manufacturing the vapor chamber of the present invention will be described.

[0206] Figures 8 and 9 are schematic longitudinal cross-sectional views illustrating an example of a method for manufacturing a vapor chamber according to the present invention.

[0207] The manufacturing method of the vapor chamber 100 of this embodiment includes a vapor chamber manufacturing member preparation step (1a) of preparing a vapor chamber manufacturing member 10' made of a material including an uncured resin material 14', a first joining step (1b) of joining the vapor chamber manufacturing member 10' to a first sheet material 211 made of a metal material on one of its surfaces, the first surface 11, and exposing the vapor chamber manufacturing member 10' joined to the first sheet material 211 to light (exposure light) E in a predetermined pattern. The process includes an exposure step (1c) in which light E is irradiated; a developing step (1d) in which uncured resin material 14' in areas not irradiated by light E in the exposure step is removed; a second joining step (1e) in which the vapor chamber manufacturing member 10' that has undergone the developing step is joined to a second sheet material 212 made of metal material on a second surface 12 which is the surface opposite to the first surface 11; and a working fluid supply and sealing step (1f) in which working fluid 30 is injected into the space between the first sheet material 211 and the second sheet material 212 and the space is sealed.

[0208] This provides a method for manufacturing a vapor chamber that can suitably produce a vapor chamber with particularly excellent heat transport capacity. Furthermore, the manufactured vapor chamber 100 can be made highly flexible. For this reason, regardless of the member to which the vapor chamber 100 is applied or its arrangement, for example, the adhesion between the vapor chamber 100 and the member can be made good, and the excellent heat transport capacity can be more reliably demonstrated.

[0209] [3-1] Preparation process for components used in the manufacture of a vapor chamber In the process of preparing components for vapor chamber manufacturing, a vapor chamber manufacturing component 10' is prepared, which is composed of a material including an uncured resin material 14', and in particular, a vapor chamber manufacturing component 10' which includes a fiber base material 13 along with the uncured resin material 14' as described above (1a).

[0210] The vapor chamber manufacturing component 10' can be obtained, for example, by impregnating a fibrous substrate 13 with a composition containing an uncured resin material 14'.

[0211] The composition may, for example, contain other components mentioned above in addition to the resin material 14'. The composition may also contain a solvent. If the composition contains a solvent, the vapor chamber manufacturing member 10' can be obtained by impregnating the fiber substrate 13 with the composition and then volatilizing the solvent.

[0212] The composition may be applied, for example, from the side of the fiber substrate 13 corresponding to the first surface 11, from the side of the fiber substrate 13 corresponding to the second surface 12, or from both sides of the fiber substrate 13 corresponding to the first surface 11 and the second surface 12.

[0213] Methods for applying the composition to the fibrous substrate 13 include, for example, coating, spraying, and immersion methods.

[0214] [3-2] First joining process In the first joining step, the vapor chamber manufacturing member 10' is joined to the first sheet material 211 on one of its surfaces, the first surface 11 (1b).

[0215] The uncured resin material 14' constituting the vapor chamber manufacturing component 10' can be suitably bonded to the first sheet material 211 by bringing it into contact with the sheet material 211 and applying pressure. The bonding can be even more suitably achieved by applying heat in addition to pressure.

[0216] [3-3] Exposure process In the exposure process, light E is irradiated onto the vapor chamber manufacturing component 10' bonded to the first sheet material 211 in a predetermined pattern (1c).

[0217] As a result, the portion of the resin material 14' that is irradiated with light E selectively hardens, becoming a cured resin product 14. In other words, a cured portion corresponding to the portion that will become the channel wall 16 composed of the cured resin product 14 can be formed in a pattern corresponding to the irradiation pattern of light E.

[0218] Furthermore, the curing reaction in this process only needs to proceed to the extent that the uncured resin material 14' can be removed in the subsequent developing process while leaving the cured resin product 14 intact; it does not need to proceed completely.

[0219] The type of light E irradiated in this process is determined according to the type of resin material 14', but ultraviolet light is preferred.

[0220] This allows the resin material 14' to be cured suitably with a relatively short exposure treatment, thereby improving the productivity of the vapor chamber 100.

[0221] The exposure process may be carried out, for example, by scanning light such as laser light in a predetermined pattern, but it can be preferably carried out by using a photomask.

[0222] [3-4]Developing process In the developing process, the uncured resin material 14' in areas that were not irradiated with light E in the exposure process is removed (1d).

[0223] This makes it possible to remove the resin material 14' while leaving the cured resin 14 and the fibrous substrate 13 (fibers 131) intact. This makes it possible to reveal the portion that will become the channel wall 16 of a predetermined pattern, i.e., a pattern corresponding to the irradiation pattern of light E.

[0224] The developing process can be suitably carried out by using a developer that selectively dissolves the resin material 14' but does not dissolve the cured resin product 14.

[0225] The composition of the developing solution varies depending on the resin material 14', the cured resin 14, etc., but for example, if 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.

[0226] After the development process, the fibrous substrate 13 (fiber 131) may be subjected to plasma treatment. As a result, compared to the case where plasma treatment is performed beforehand on the vapor chamber manufacturing component 10' and no further plasma treatment is performed, the surface condition of the fibrous substrate 13 can be maintained more favorably in the final vapor chamber 100, and the effects described above are exhibited more significantly.

[0227] [3-5] Second joining process In the second joining process, the vapor chamber manufacturing member 10' that has undergone the developing process is joined to the second sheet material 212 on the second surface 12, which is the surface opposite to the first surface 11 (1e).

[0228] The bonding of the second sheet material 212 to the vapor chamber manufacturing member 10' may be performed, for example, by applying an adhesive to the second sheet material 212 or the vapor chamber manufacturing member 10'. However, if a resin material 14' that satisfies the aforementioned conditions (in particular, one that includes an alkali-soluble resin and a photopolymerizable resin, along with a thermosetting resin different from the alkali-soluble resin) is used, heating after contacting the vapor chamber manufacturing member 10' and the second sheet material 212 will cause the thermosetting resin to develop adhesive properties during the thermosetting process, resulting in particularly excellent bonding strength between the second sheet material 212 and the vapor chamber manufacturing member 10' (wick structure). Similarly, the bonding strength between the first sheet material 211 and the vapor chamber manufacturing member 10' (wick structure) can also be particularly excellent.

[0229] In particular, if the resin material 14' contains a thermosetting resin different from an alkali-soluble resin, it is preferable to perform a heat treatment in this step to give the resin material 14' tackiness and then heat-cur the resin material 14'.

[0230] This improves the adhesion between the deformation prevention member 10 (wick structure) and the container 20, as well as the strength of the deformation prevention member 10 (wick structure), thereby improving the durability and reliability of the vapor chamber 100.

[0231] The heating temperature in this process is preferably 80°C to 250°C, more preferably 90°C to 220°C, and even more preferably 100°C to 200°C.

[0232] This allows for more effective prevention of unintended deterioration of the constituent materials of the vapor chamber 100, while also demonstrating the aforementioned effects more significantly. Furthermore, it enables improved productivity of the vapor chamber 100.

[0233] Furthermore, this process may involve a combination of heating under different conditions. Specifically, for example, it may involve a combination of heating under pressure (thermocompression bonding) and subsequent heating under released pressure (post-curing).

[0234] Furthermore, the heating time in this process is preferably between 0.1 minutes and 600 minutes. This allows for more effective prevention of unintended deterioration of the constituent materials of the vapor chamber 100, while also demonstrating the aforementioned effects more significantly. Furthermore, it enables improved productivity of the vapor chamber 100.

[0235] As described above, when combining heat treatment under pressure (thermocompression bonding) and subsequent heat treatment after releasing the pressure (post-curing), the processing time for heat treatment under pressure (thermocompression bonding) is preferably 0.1 minutes or more and 10 minutes or less, and the processing time for heat treatment after releasing the pressure (post-curing) is preferably 20 minutes or more and 480 minutes or less.

[0236] [3-6] Hydraulic fluid supply and sealing process In the hydraulic fluid supply and sealing process, hydraulic fluid 30 is injected into the space between the first sheet material 211 and the second sheet material 212, and the space is sealed (1f).

[0237] The injection of the working fluid 30 can be suitably carried out, for example, by reducing the pressure in the space between the first sheet material 211 and the second sheet material 212 by vacuuming.

[0238] By reducing the pressure in the space between the first sheet material 211 and the second sheet material 212, the boiling point of the working fluid 30 can be lowered, allowing the evaporation and condensation cycle of the working fluid 30 to be carried out more efficiently, thereby further enhancing the heat transport effect and heat soaking effect.

[0239] After the working fluid 30 is injected, the injection port of 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 in a liquid-tight and airtight manner.

[0240] The wick structure (deformation-preventing member 10 and fiber base material 13) and the space containing the working fluid 30 are sealed by forming a sealing portion 23.

[0241] Methods for forming the sealing portion 23 include, for example, plating, laser welding, seam welding, cold pressure welding, diffusion bonding, brazing, and adhesive bonding.

[0242] Although preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to those described above, and any modifications, improvements, etc., that can achieve the objectives of the present invention are included in the present invention.

[0243] For example, a method for manufacturing a vapor chamber may include other steps in addition to the steps described above.

[0244] Furthermore, the vapor chamber of the present invention is not limited to those manufactured by the method described above, but may be manufactured by any method.

[0245] For example, in the embodiment described above, a case was described in which a container is formed using two metal sheet materials (a first sheet material and a second sheet material). However, the container may be formed using one metal sheet material, or it may be formed using three or more metal sheet materials.

[0246] Furthermore, while the embodiments described above primarily focused on cases where the vapor chamber is used to transfer heat from a heat-generating component to a predetermined location, the vapor chamber may also be used, for example, to equalize the heat of a locally high-temperature part of the heat-generating component. [Examples]

[0247] The present invention will be described in detail below based on examples, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0248] (Example 1) [4] Manufacturing of vapor chambers The vapor chamber of Example 1 was manufactured as follows.

[0249] [4-1] Preparation of resin composition [4-1-1] Alkali-soluble resins (Synthesis of resins having alkali-soluble groups and double bonds (curable resins that can be cured by both light and heat: methacrylic modified bisphenol A novolac resin: MPN))

[0250] 500 g of a 60% solids methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) solution of phenol novolak resin (Phenolite LF-4871, manufactured by DIC Corporation) was charged into a 2 L flask, and 1.5 g of tributylamine as a catalyst and 0.15 g of hydroquinone as a polymerization inhibitor were added thereto, and the mixture was heated to 100 °C.

[0251] Thereafter, 162.6 g of glycidyl methacrylate was added dropwise to the above mixture over 30 minutes and reacted by stirring at 100 °C for 5 hours to obtain a methacrylic-modified phenol novolak resin having a nonvolatile content of 69.9%. The methacrylic-modified phenol novolak resin as an alkali-soluble resin thus obtained contains a (meth)acrylic group and a phenolic hydroxyl group in the molecule. Further, the modification rate of the methacrylic-modified phenol novolak resin (alkali-soluble resin) thus obtained was 45%.

[0252] [4-1-2] Preparation of Resin Varnish (Resin Composition) 45 parts by mass of the methacrylic-modified phenol novolak resin (MPN) synthesized as described above as an alkali-soluble resin (a curable resin curable by both light and heat), 13 parts by mass of a methacrylic monomer (manufactured by Shin-Nakamura Chemical Co., Ltd., NK Ester 3G) which is liquid at room temperature as a photopolymerizable resin, 30 parts by mass of a phenol novolak type epoxy resin (manufactured by DIC Corporation, Epiklon N-770) as a thermosetting resin, and 10 parts by mass of bisphenol F (manufactured by Honshu Chemical Industry Co., Ltd., Bis-F) as a thermosetting resin were weighed, and further methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) was added and adjusted so that the resin component concentration became 71% by mass. Then, the mixture was stirred until the phenol novolak type epoxy resin (N-770) was dissolved.

[0253] Subsequently, 1.7 parts by mass of a curing agent (photosensitive agent) (Irgacure651, manufactured by IGM Resins BV) and 0.3 parts by mass of 2-phenyl-4,5-dihydroxyimidazole (2PHZ-PW, manufactured by Shikoku Chemicals, Inc.) were added, and the mixture was stirred with a stirring blade (450 rpm) for 1 hour to obtain a resin varnish as a resin composition.

[0254] [4-2] Manufacturing of components for vapor chamber production Using the resin composition (resin varnish) prepared as described above, components for manufacturing a vapor chamber were manufactured as follows.

[0255] By immersing the fiber sheet in the resin varnish obtained as described above, the resin varnish was impregnated into the gaps between the fibers constituting the fiber sheet.

[0256] Here, the fiber sheet used is glass cloth (Unitika Corporation, #2116), 95 μm thick, with a basis weight of 104 g / m². 2 A woven fabric with a softening point of 840°C was used.

[0257] Subsequently, the material for manufacturing a vapor chamber was obtained by heating and drying at 80°C for 15 minutes.

[0258] The vapor chamber manufacturing component obtained in this manner was in the form of a sheet with a thickness of 150 μm. As shown in Figure 6, a fiber sheet was present near the center in the thickness direction, and no fibers were present on either side of the vapor chamber manufacturing component.

[0259] [4-3] Manufacturing of a vapor chamber First, a vapor chamber manufacturing component obtained as described above was prepared (vapor chamber manufacturing component preparation step), and on one side of this component, the first surface, the tackiness of the uncured resin material (resin composition) constituting the vapor chamber manufacturing component was used to bond it to a copper sheet material (thickness: 35 μm) which served as the first sheet material (first bonding step). The first sheet material used was one that had been pre-treated with plasma.

[0260] Next, the vapor chamber manufacturing component, which was bonded to the first sheet material, was irradiated with light (exposed) using a photomask that had openings (light-transmitting sections) in a pattern corresponding to the flow channel wall to be formed (exposure process). Exposure was performed using a mercury lamp with a main wavelength of 365 nm, with an exposure dose of 700 mJ / cm². 2 It was done under those conditions.

[0261] Next, a 3% by mass aqueous solution of tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH), an alkaline aqueous solution, was used as the developer, and the process was carried out under the conditions of developer pressure: 0.2 MPa and 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).

[0262] Subsequently, the vapor chamber manufacturing component, which had been bonded to the first sheet material and then exposed and developed, was subjected to plasma treatment. This resulted in plasma treatment of the exposed fibers, deformation prevention components, and the surface of the first sheet material.

[0263] Next, the vapor chamber manufacturing component, which had undergone the development process and plasma treatment, was brought into contact with a copper sheet material (thickness: 35 μm) as the second sheet material on the second surface, which was the surface opposite to the first surface, 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 component and the second sheet material. After the curing reaction was completed, a wick structure formed using the vapor chamber manufacturing component was obtained in which the first surface was firmly bonded to the first sheet material and the second surface was firmly bonded to the second sheet material (second bonding process). In other words, in the second joining process, the vapor chamber manufacturing component and the second sheet material were heated in contact with each other, so that first, adhesion (tackiness) was developed during the thermosetting process of the thermosetting resin, and then, by further heating, the curing reaction of the thermosetting resin was completed.

[0264] Subsequently, the peripheral edges of the first and second sheet materials were joined by copper plating to seal the space between them. Furthermore, pure water was injected into the space between the first and second sheet materials as a working fluid. Finally, the inlet for injecting the pure water was sealed with solder (working fluid supply and sealing process). This resulted in the creation of a vapor chamber.

[0265] The wick structure of the vapor chamber obtained in this way had a thickness of 200 μm and a structure as shown in Figure 4, with multiple portions extending in the longitudinal direction, composed of a resin-cured material, and functioning as flow path walls for the working fluid. The spacing between adjacent flow path walls (i.e., the width of the flow path portion) was 500 μm, and the width of the flow path walls was 100 μm.

[0266] (Examples 2-7) The vapor chamber was manufactured in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the conditions for the fiber sheet used in the manufacture of the components for the vapor chamber and the plasma treatment conditions for each component were adjusted to obtain the configuration shown in Table 1.

[0267] (Comparative Examples 1 and 2) A vapor chamber was manufactured in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the conditions of the fiber sheet used for manufacturing the members for manufacturing the vapor chamber and the conditions of the plasma treatment for each member were adjusted so as to have the configuration shown in Table 1. The conditions of the vapor chambers of the above Examples and Comparative Examples are summarized in Table 1.

[0268] [Table 1]

[0269] [5]Evaluation A ceramic heater (manufactured by Sakaguchi Denki Co., Ltd., product number: Ultra Mic, heater part 12 mm square, 2.5 mm thick) whose output of the heater part is variable and the temperature inside the heater can be measured was prepared. The internal temperatures of the heater when the ceramic heater was output at 4 W and 7 W were 225 °C and 310 °C, respectively.

[0270] Next, the ceramic heater was output at 4 W and 7 W respectively, and the ends of the vapor chambers manufactured in the above Examples and Comparative Examples were placed on the heater part of the ceramic heater, and the temperature when the temperature inside the ceramic heater was stabilized was measured. The results are shown in Table 2.

[0271] [Table 2]

[0272] As is clear from Table 2, in the present invention, the temperature drop when applied to the ceramic heater was larger than that in the comparative example. This indicates that the vapor chamber of the present invention has particularly excellent heat transport ability. In addition, it was confirmed that the vapor chamber of the present invention is excellent in flexibility (softness).

[0273] Furthermore, the thickness of the fibers constituting the fibrous base material was varied within the range of 3.0 μm to 20.0 μm, and the basis weight of the fibrous base material was set to 10 g / m². 2 More than 250g / m 2 Except for the following modifications, the thickness of the fiber substrate was modified within the range of 10 μm to 1000 μm, the thickness of the vapor chamber manufacturing component was modified within the range of 10 μm to 2000 μm, the thickness of the sheet material used to form the container was modified within the range of 12 μm to 500 μm, and the value of Xf / Xr in the vapor chamber manufacturing component, where Xf [mass%] is the content of the fiber substrate and Xr [mass%] is the content of the resin material, was modified within the range of 0.8 to 8.0, a vapor chamber was manufactured in the same manner as in the above example, and evaluated in the same manner as above, and the same excellent effect was obtained.

[0274] Furthermore, by changing the method of applying resin varnish to the fiber substrate, vapor chamber manufacturing components were manufactured as shown in Figure 7. Using these vapor chamber manufacturing components, a vapor chamber was manufactured in the same manner as in the above embodiment, except that the cross-sectional structure was as shown in Figures 2 and 3. When evaluated in the same manner as above, excellent effects were obtained, similar to those described above. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0275] 100: Vapor Chamber 10: Deformation prevention member 10': Components for manufacturing vapor chambers 11: First side 12: The second side 13: Fiber base material (fiber sheet) 131: Fibers 14': Resin material 14: Cured resin material 15: Flow channel section 16: Flow channel wall 20: Container 21: Sheet material 211: First sheet material 212: Second sheet material 23:Sealing part 30: Actuating fluid (actuating fluid) S: Interval L: width E: light (exposed light)

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing a vapor chamber having a container with a cavity inside and a working fluid disposed in the cavity, A vapor chamber manufacturing component preparation step, which involves preparing a vapor chamber manufacturing component composed of a fibrous base material and an uncured resin material, A first joining step involves joining the vapor chamber manufacturing member to a first sheet material made of a metal material on one of its surfaces, which is a first surface. An exposure step in which light is irradiated in a predetermined pattern onto the vapor chamber manufacturing member bonded to the first sheet material, A developing step in which the uncured resin material in the areas not irradiated with light in the exposure step is removed, and the areas irradiated with light in the exposure step are left as deformation-preventing members composed of cured resin material, A second joining step involves joining the vapor chamber manufacturing member, which has undergone the development step, to a second sheet material made of metal on a second surface opposite to the first surface, thereby forming a container having a cavity inside. The process includes a hydraulic fluid supply and sealing step in which hydraulic fluid is injected into the cavity and the cavity is sealed. The aforementioned resin material includes an alkali-soluble resin and a photopolymerizable resin. The volume between the fibrous base material and the sheet material per unit area when viewed from above is 1 mm ３ / cm ２ 25mm or more ３ / cm ２ A method for manufacturing a vapor chamber, characterized by the following:

2. The method for producing a vapor chamber according to claim 1, wherein the fiber substrate comprises fibers made of a material selected from the group consisting of glass, aramid, and poly(p-phenylenebenzobisoxazole).

3. The method for manufacturing a vapor chamber according to claim 2, wherein the thickness of the fiber is 3.0 μm or more and 20.0 μm or less.

4. The basis weight of the aforementioned fiber base material is 10 g / m². ２ More than 250g / m ２ A method for manufacturing a vapor chamber according to any one of claims 1 to 3 below.

5. A method for manufacturing a vapor chamber according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the height of the cavity is 10 μm or more and 2000 μm or less.

6. The method for manufacturing a vapor chamber according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the thickness of the fibrous substrate is 10 μm or more and 1000 μm or less.

7. The method for manufacturing a vapor chamber according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the container is mainly composed of Cu or a Cu alloy.

8. The method for manufacturing a vapor chamber according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the thickness of the sheet material is 12 μm or more and 500 μm or less.

9. The method for manufacturing a vapor chamber according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the deformation-preventing 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 working fluid, The method for manufacturing a vapor chamber according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the fibrous substrate is arranged to penetrate a portion that functions as a flow path wall for the working fluid.

11. The method for manufacturing a vapor chamber according to claim 10, wherein the ratio (L / S) of the width L [μm] of the flow path wall to the width S [μm] of the flow path portion of the working fluid is 0.05 or more and 0.50 or less.

12. A method for manufacturing a vapor chamber according to claim 10 or 11, wherein the contact angle of the working fluid with respect to the flow channel wall at 23°C is greater than 0.1° and less than 120°.

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