Cooling Chip With Fluid Microchannels And Through Substrate Vias

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional heat sinks fail to adequately manage the increased heat flux of power electronic devices due to additional thermal resistance from bonding layers and thermal matching materials, making it challenging to lower operating temperatures effectively and integrate cooling structures with electrical interfaces.

Innovation Solution

The development of an electronics assembly with a cooling chip structure featuring fluid microchannels and through substrate vias that provide both cooling and electrical interconnectivity, allowing dielectric cooling fluid to flow and reduce localized hotspots while maintaining electrical connectivity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Temperature

If conventional heat sinks are used to cool power electronic devices, then cooling function is provided, but thermal resistance increases due to bonding layers and thermal matching materials

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoperating temperatureVSAvoidthermal resistance

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the cooling chip structure with electrical interconnectivity by integrating through-substrate vias directly into the cooling chip. This combination eliminates the need for separate bonding layers and thermal matching materials, thereby reducing thermal resistance while maintaining both cooling and electrical connection functions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention extracts and removes the problematic bonding layers and thermal matching materials from the conventional heat sink assembly. By using through-substrate vias that extend through the cooling chip, the design eliminates these intermediate layers that caused thermal resistance, achieving direct thermal and electrical pathways.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Adaptability or versatility

If conventional heat sink structures are integrated with electrical interfaces, then electrical connectivity is provided, but device complexity increases due to additional bonding layers and thermal matching materials

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveelectrical interface integrationVSAvoidstructure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The cooling chip structure is designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously: it provides cooling through fluid microchannels and maintains electrical connectivity through integrated through-substrate vias. This multi-functional design eliminates the need for separate bonding layers and thermal matching materials, reducing structural complexity while enhancing adaptability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Power

If power electronic devices operate at increased power levels, then power output increases, but heat flux increases making cooling more difficult

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower levelVSAvoidheat flux

Core Design Contradiction:

PowerVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs fluid microchannels within the cooling chip structure to enable hydraulic cooling. Cooling fluid flows through these microchannels, efficiently removing heat generated by high-power electronic devices. This hydraulic cooling approach provides superior heat removal capability compared to conventional air-based or contact-based heat sinks.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #29Pneumatics and hydraulics

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This solution effectively reduces the operating temperature of power electronic devices by enhancing heat removal and electrical connection density, minimizing thermal resistance, and addressing the challenge of integrating cooling and electrical interfaces.

Implementation Method 1

Cooling fluid may be used to receive heat generated by the heat generating device by convective thermal transfer and remove such heat from the heat generating device

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectConvective thermal transfer: Convection

Implementation Method 2

a through substrate via extending from the base surface of the cooling chip structure to the device facing surface of the cooling chip structure

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Data Source

PatentUS10192814B2Electronic assemblies having a cooling chip layer with fluid channels and through substrate vias

Publication Date: 2019.01.29 DENSO CORP

AI summary

An electronics assembly includes a cooling chip structure having a device facing surface opposite a base surface and one or more sidewalls extending around a perimeter of the cooling chip structure between the device facing surface and the base surface. A plurality of fluid microchannels fluidly are coupled to a fluid inlet port and a fluid outlet port. A through substrate via extends from the base surface of the cooling chip structure to the device facing surface of the cooling chip structure, where the through substrate via intersects two or more fluid microchannels of the plurality of fluid microchannels.