Embedded Heat Transfer Conduits for IC Substrate Thermal Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Integrated circuit packages face thermal management challenges due to high temperatures, which can cause damage to organic substrate materials and reduce performance, as existing solutions like ceramic materials are costly and inefficient, and thermal throttling lowers performance.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a heat transfer fluid conduit within the substrate to efficiently dissipate heat, where the conduit is designed as a power transfer route and can be fabricated using a method involving dielectric and conductive layers, allowing for heat removal through fluid channels.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If organic materials are used to form the substrate, then cost is reduced and packaging density is increased, but thermal damage occurs at temperatures above 300 degrees Celsius or extended periods at 200-250 degrees Celsius
Solution Approach 1:
The substrate is constructed as a composite structure combining organic material layers with integrated metal heat dissipation layers. This composite approach allows the substrate to maintain the cost advantages and high packaging density of organic materials while incorporating thermal management capabilities through the metal layers, thereby resolving the contradiction between cost/density and thermal resistance.
2Reliability
If ceramic materials are used to form the substrate, then thermal resistance is improved and higher temperature support is achieved, but cost increases significantly and packaging density decreases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using expensive ceramic materials throughout the entire substrate, the invention uses composite construction with organic materials for the bulk substrate structure and selective metal layers for heat dissipation. This approach achieves the thermal resistance benefits of ceramics where needed while maintaining the cost-effectiveness and manufacturability of organic materials for the majority of the substrate.
Solution Approach 2:
The heat dissipation metal layers are strategically positioned in specific locations within the substrate where thermal management is most critical, such as near high-power integrated circuit devices. This localized application of thermal management features provides effective heat dissipation without requiring expensive ceramic materials throughout the entire substrate structure.
3Reliability
If thermal throttling control is used to reduce operating frequency, then temperature is reduced and thermal damage is avoided, but overall performance decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the thermal management function from the operational control of the integrated circuits by providing a passive heat dissipation structure integrated into the substrate. This allows the integrated circuits to operate at full performance without thermal throttling, as the heat is actively dissipated through the metal layers and thermal vias rather than relying on frequency reduction to manage temperature.
4Device complexity
If thin metal layers are used within the substrate for heat dissipation, then integration is achieved, but heat dissipation efficiency is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The heat dissipation structure is nested within the substrate layers, with metal heat dissipation layers embedded between organic material layers and thermal vias extending through multiple layers. This nested configuration provides efficient heat dissipation pathways while maintaining compact integration within the substrate structure, overcoming the limitation of thin surface metal layers.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from two-dimensional thin metal surface layers to three-dimensional heat dissipation structures by incorporating metal layers at multiple depths within the substrate and creating vertical thermal pathways through thermal vias. This dimensional expansion significantly increases the heat dissipation surface area and efficiency while maintaining substrate integration.
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 manages heat dissipation without the need for expensive ceramic materials and maintains performance by using a heat transfer fluid conduit that acts as both a heat removal mechanism and a power transfer route within the substrate.
Implementation Method 1
Incorporating a heat transfer fluid conduit within the substrate to efficiently dissipate heat
Implementation Method 2
heat removal through fluid channels
Data Source
AI summary
An integrated circuit structure may be formed having a substrate, at least one integrated circuit device embedded in and electrically attached to the substrate, and at least one heat transfer fluid conduit extending through the substrate, wherein the heat transfer fluid conduit is electrically attached to the at least one integrated circuit device. In one embodiment, the at least one heat transfer fluid conduit is a power transfer route for the at least one integrated circuit device.