Single-Crystal Diamond Micro Cooler for IC Heat Dissipation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing IC heat dissipation systems are inadequate for efficiently managing the increased heat generated by smaller and more complex semiconductor circuits, leading to reduced reliability and operating lifetime of computing dies like CPUs.
Innovation Solution
A cooling system with an integrated micro cooler (IMC) using single crystal diamond (SCD) and a thermal interface material (TIM) to enhance heat transfer from the die to a coolant, combined with a cooling cover and heat exchanger to manage heat dissipation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If IC circuits are scaled down to increase production efficiency and lower costs, then production efficiency improves and costs decrease, but heat dissipation efficiency deteriorates and heat management complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a composite cooling structure integrating a micro cooler made of diamond-like carbon (DLC) material with exceptional thermal conductivity, coupled with a thermal interface material (TIM) layer, and further integrated with the IC substrate. This composite material approach enables efficient heat dissipation from densely packed, scaled-down circuits while maintaining the productivity benefits of miniaturization.
Solution Approach 2:
The micro cooler is integrated directly onto the IC substrate in a nested configuration, with the thermal interface material positioned between the micro cooler and substrate. This nested integration allows the cooling system to be embedded within the IC structure itself, enabling effective heat management without increasing the overall footprint, thus maintaining high production efficiency while solving heat dissipation challenges.
2Device complexity
If existing heat dissipation systems are used for scaled-down ICs, then system simplicity is maintained, but reliability decreases due to inadequate heat management
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the cooling function directly into the IC structure by integrating the micro cooler with the IC substrate through a thermal interface material. This combined structure maintains relative system simplicity while dramatically improving heat dissipation capability, thereby enhancing reliability and operating lifetime without requiring complex external cooling systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the thermal conductivity parameter of the cooling system by using diamond-like carbon material with exceptionally high thermal conductivity for the micro cooler. This parameter change enables the system to handle the increased heat density from scaled-down circuits, improving reliability while maintaining a relatively simple integrated structure.
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional cooling methods are applied to high-density ICs, then ease of manufacture is maintained, but heat transfer efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The micro cooler is pre-fabricated with the IC substrate in an integrated manufacturing process, with the thermal interface material applied during the assembly sequence. This preliminary integration approach maintains ease of manufacture by incorporating cooling functionality into the standard IC fabrication process, while achieving superior heat transfer efficiency through the high-performance DLC material.
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
The system improves heat transfer efficiency, reduces thermal damage, and decreases power consumption by optimizing coolant flow and heat removal, thereby enhancing the reliability and longevity of semiconductor dies.
Implementation Method 1
The IMC may be bonded to the die by a bonding layer including a thermal interface material (TIM). The bonding layer may have a thermal resistance of equal to or less than about 0.05 mm2·C/W
Implementation Method 2
During operation, a coolant may sequentially flow through the inlet conduits in the cooling cover, the trenches in the IMC, and the outlet conduits in the cooling cover. Heat generated from the die may be transferred to the coolant in the trenches.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of making a cooling unit includes providing a workpiece. The workpiece includes a device substrate and a passivation structure disposed over the device substrate. The method further includes bonding a first carrier piece to the passivation structure, bonding an integrated micro cooler (IMC) precursor to the device substrate by a bonding layer, removing the first carrier piece, bonding a second carrier to the passivation structure, etching the IMC precursor to form a plurality of trenches and a partition wall surrounding the plurality of trenches, thereby forming an IMC, and bonding a cooling cover to the IMC. The IMC precursor includes single crystal diamond (SCD). The cooling cover includes a fluid inlet port and a fluid outlet port connected to the plurality of trenches by fluid conduits.