Electronic Package Module With Porous Liquid Metal Thermal Interface

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional heat dissipation structures in electronic devices face challenges with high fluidity of liquid metal, leading to overflow and potential short-circuit damage due to the tight arrangement of components, which affects heat dissipation efficiency and device reliability.

Innovation Solution

An electronic package module with a porous carrying member clamped between the chip and heat-dissipation component, constraining liquid metal within a capillary-like structure to prevent overflow and ensure stable heat transfer.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Temperature

If liquid metal is used as heat transfer medium between semiconductor chip and heat sink, then thermal conductivity and heat dissipation performance are improved, but liquid metal overflows to periphery causing short circuit damage

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveheat dissipation performanceVSAvoidshort circuit damage risk
Core Design Contradiction:
TemperatureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a carrying member with porous structure as an intermediary between the liquid metal and the external environment. This porous carrying member allows heat transfer while physically constraining the liquid metal, preventing it from overflowing to surrounding electronic components or substrate circuits, thus eliminating the short circuit risk while maintaining superior thermal conductivity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs a carrying member with porous structure that utilizes capillary action to retain the liquid metal within the porous network. The porous structure provides sufficient surface area for heat transfer while the capillary forces prevent liquid metal from escaping, effectively solving the overflow problem while maintaining excellent thermal performance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #31Porous materials

2Temperature

If conventional heat sink with fan unit is used for heat dissipation, then heat can be discharged outside, but tight arrangement of components prevents effective heat discharge and causes temperature rise

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveheat discharge capabilityVSAvoidcomponent arrangement constraint
Core Design Contradiction:
TemperatureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the heat dissipation function from the conventional fan-based external discharge system and integrates it directly into the semiconductor package structure. By incorporating heat-dissipation fins and liquid metal thermal conduction within the package, the system achieves effective heat discharge without requiring additional external fan units or complex component arrangements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Strength

If liquid metal is squeezed by heat sink, then heat transfer contact is improved, but liquid metal overflows to periphery causing short circuit damage

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvethermal contact pressureVSAvoidshort circuit damage risk
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The porous carrying member is designed to withstand compression from the heat sink while utilizing capillary forces to retain liquid metal. The porous structure compresses to improve thermal contact between the chip, liquid metal, and heat sink, while simultaneously the capillary action within the pores prevents liquid metal from being squeezed out to the periphery, thus achieving both good thermal contact and overflow prevention.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #31Porous materials

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 module effectively maintains heat dissipation performance by preventing liquid metal overflow and ensuring continuous heat transfer from the chip to the heat-dissipation component, thereby enhancing device reliability and preventing short-circuit damage.

Implementation Method 1

the porous structure of the carrying member produces a capillary-like adsorption effect on the liquid metal, so that the liquid metal may be successfully retained in a space between the heat-dissipation component and the chip without overflowing

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCapillary action: Capillary Action

Implementation Method 2

the liquid metal may stably and continuously transmit the heat generated by the chip to the heat-dissipation component and then dissipate out of the electronic package module

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Data Source

PatentEP4407674A1Electronic package module
Publication Date: 2024.07.31 ACER INC
  • EP4407674A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4407674A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4407674A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention provides an electronic package module (100) including a chip (111), a heat-dissipation component (120), a carrying member (130), and a liquid metal (140). The carrying member (130) is clamped between the chip (111) and the heat-dissipation component (120). The carrying member (130) has a porous structure. The liquid metal (140) is filled in the porous structure to be in thermal contact with the chip (111) and the heat-dissipation component (120). The liquid metal (140) is constrained between the chip (111) and the heat-dissipation component (120) by the carrying member (130) and does not flow outside of the chip (111) and the heat-dissipation component (120).