Heat Spreader Interposer with Graphene Interface
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional heat-dissipating devices, such as heat spreaders in electronic devices, have limited heat-dissipating capabilities due to incomplete contact areas with phase change materials (PCMs) and intrinsic thermal resistivities, leading to inefficient heat dissipation.
Innovation Solution
A heat-dissipating device is enhanced with an interposer having a functionalized surface and an interfacial layer composed of graphene material, thermally coupled to heat spreaders and phase change materials, increasing contact area and reducing thermal resistivity through improved wettability and phase matching.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a conventional heat spreader is used, then the device structure is simple, but the heat-dissipating capability is limited due to incomplete contact area with phase change material
Solution Approach 1:
The heat spreader is segmented into multiple layers including a first heat spreader, an interposer with functionalized surface, a graphene interfacial layer, and a second heat spreader. This segmentation increases the contact area with phase change material from the original limited surface to multiple surfaces across different layers, thereby improving heat-dissipating capability while managing the increased structural complexity through modular design
Solution Approach 2:
The interposer with functionalized surface and graphene interfacial layer is nested between the first and second heat spreaders, creating a multi-layer nested structure. This nesting approach allows the phase change material to contact multiple surfaces simultaneously (the heat spreader surface and the interposer surfaces), effectively increasing the heat transfer area without proportionally increasing the overall device footprint
2Reliability
If a conventional heat spreader with limited contact area is used, then the manufacturing process is simple, but the thermal resistivity is high due to incomplete thermal coupling
Solution Approach 1:
The interposer with functionalized surface and graphene interfacial layer acts as an intermediary between the heat spreader and phase change material. The functionalized surface and graphene layer improve wettability and reduce interfacial thermal resistance, enabling better thermal coupling. This intermediary structure, while adding manufacturing steps for surface functionalization and graphene deposition, ensures reliable thermal contact that outweighs the increased manufacturing complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The surface properties of the interposer are modified through functionalization to change parameters such as surface energy and wettability. This parameter change enables better thermal coupling with the phase change material by reducing interfacial thermal resistance, thereby improving reliability of thermal contact despite the additional manufacturing processes required for surface treatment
3Reliability
If the contact area between heat spreader and phase change material is increased through functionalized surface and graphene layer, then thermal resistivity is reduced, but the device structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The interfacial structure is designed as a composite combining the functionalized surface of the interposer with a graphene material layer. This composite structure leverages the complementary properties of both materials: the functionalized surface provides chemical bonding and wettability, while the graphene layer provides high thermal conductivity and structural stability. This composite approach reduces interfacial thermal resistance effectively while managing the increased structural complexity through rational material selection and interface design
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 solution effectively reduces peak and steady-state temperatures, improving thermal resistivity and enhancing heat dissipation capabilities, as demonstrated by reduced junction temperatures and increased thermal performance.
Implementation Method 1
a phase change material disposed between the at least one interfacial layer and at least one of the first heat spreader or the second heat spreader
Implementation Method 2
at least one interfacial layer comprising a graphene material disposed on at least one surface of the interposer... effectively reduces peak and steady-state temperatures, improving thermal resistivity
Implementation Method 3
increasing contact area and reducing thermal resistivity through improved wettability and phase matching
Data Source
AI summary
An example heat-dissipating device with enhanced interfacial properties generally includes a first heat spreader configured to be thermally coupled to a region configured to generate heat, a second heat spreader, an interposer thermally coupled to at least one of the first heat spreader or the second heat spreader, at least one interfacial layer including a graphene material disposed on at least one surface of the interposer, and a phase change material disposed between the at least one interfacial layer and at least one of the first heat spreader or the second heat spreader and thermally coupled to at least one of the first heat spreader or the second heat spreader.