Diamond-Filled Channels for Integrated Circuit Heat Dissipation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
As integrated circuits become smaller and more complex, heat dissipation becomes increasingly problematic, with traditional cooling methods like fans and heat sinks being inadequate for higher power devices, leading to thermal runaway and potential damage.
Innovation Solution
The method involves forming semiconductor channels in an integrated circuit substrate and filling them with diamond, which enhances heat dissipation through its high thermal conductivity, while maintaining a low coefficient of thermal expansion to prevent substrate cracking, and includes epitaxial growth of an active device layer over the diamond.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If traditional heat sinks are used to remove heat from the backside of the substrate, then heat dissipation is achieved for lower power devices, but the substrate absorbs excessive heat causing thermal runaway in higher power devices
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by placing diamond material specifically in channels beneath the active device regions where heat generation is highest. This localized high-thermal-conductivity approach directly addresses the heat dissipation problem at the source rather than using uniform substrate materials, enabling effective heat removal from high-power devices without causing thermal runaway.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite materials by combining diamond (for thermal conduction) with semiconductor materials in a hybrid structure. The diamond-filled channels create a composite heat dissipation pathway that leverages diamond's superior thermal conductivity to extract heat from the substrate, solving the limitation of traditional homogeneous substrate materials in high-power applications.
2Temperature
If convection cooling methodologies such as fans or liquid cooling are implemented, then heat mitigation is achieved, but the device size and weight increase making them unsuitable for thinner integrated circuits
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the heat dissipation function from external cooling components (fans, liquid cooling systems) and integrates it directly into the substrate structure through diamond-filled channels. This extraction eliminates the need for heavy external cooling mechanisms while maintaining effective heat mitigation, enabling thin and lightweight integrated circuits to handle high power dissipation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces mechanical convection cooling systems with a solid-state thermal conduction solution using diamond material. By substituting the mechanical moving parts (fans, pumps) with a passive high-thermal-conductivity material integrated into the substrate, the system achieves heat mitigation without increasing weight or complexity.
3Temperature
If diamond is deposited into channels to enhance heat dissipation, then thermal conductivity is improved, but the manufacturing process complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by forming the diamond-filled channels during the substrate fabrication process before final device assembly. The channels are created and filled with diamond material as part of the manufacturing sequence, integrating the thermal management structure into the base substrate production rather than adding it as a separate post-processing step, thereby reducing overall manufacturing complexity.
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 approach effectively mitigates heat buildup in high-power integrated circuits, preventing thermal runaway and ensuring reliable operation by utilizing diamond-filled channels to efficiently dissipate heat and maintain structural integrity.
Implementation Method 1
filling them with diamond, which enhances heat dissipation through its high thermal conductivity
Implementation Method 2
maintaining a low coefficient of thermal expansion to prevent substrate cracking
Implementation Method 3
includes epitaxial growth of an active device layer over the diamond
Data Source
AI summary
An integrated circuit and method of forming the integrated circuit, including the steps of forming channels partially into a thickness of a semiconductor layer or through the thickness of the semiconductor layer and partially through a thickness of a substrate layer on which the semiconductor layer was formed. The method may then include underfilling or overfilling the channels with diamond. If underfilled, a remainder of the channels may be filled in with nucleation buffer layers or additional semiconductor material. If overfilled, the diamond may be selectively polished down to form a planar surface with the semiconductor layer. Next, the method may include forming an active device layer over the semiconductor material and diamond. The method may also include thinning the substrate layer down to the diamond and then placing a heat sink in physical contact with the diamond in the channel.