Thermally Conductive IC Bridge Packaging for Stacked Die Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cooling methods for microelectronic assemblies, including IC packages, are inefficient due to the limitations of passive and active systems in effectively transferring heat from IC dies, especially in constrained form factors and stacked configurations, where direct contact with heat sinks or coolants is not sufficient to manage thermal density and mechanical reliability.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a thermally conductive integrated circuit (IC) bridge using a package substrate with thermal vias and a thermally conductive material to create additional heat transfer pathways, allowing for efficient heat extraction from IC dies through the substrate, while maintaining a slim form factor and reducing height.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If direct contact cooling methods are used for IC dies, then cooling efficiency is improved, but the form factor and height are increased
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the IC die with the package substrate into an integrated structure where the substrate serves dual purposes: electrical interconnection and thermal conduction. The thermally conductive material is integrated within the substrate layers rather than being a separate external component, merging the support structure and cooling pathway into a single unified element that eliminates the need for additional height.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from vertical heat transfer (requiring external heat sinks above or below the die) to lateral heat transfer pathways embedded within the planar substrate structure. By creating thermal vias and conductive pathways that extend horizontally across the substrate layers, the design extracts heat in the plane of the package rather than requiring vertical space, thus maintaining a slim profile.
2Device complexity
If passive cooling systems are used, then device complexity is reduced, but heat transfer efficiency is insufficient for high thermal density
Solution Approach 1:
The package substrate performs self-cooling by utilizing its own structural layers as thermal conduction pathways. The metallic trace layers and thermally conductive fill materials that are already present for electrical functionality are simultaneously employed for heat extraction, eliminating the need for separate active cooling mechanisms while effectively managing high thermal density through the substrate's inherent conductive network.
3Volume of moving object
If stacked IC die configurations are used, then space utilization is improved, but thermal management becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the thermal management function across multiple substrate layers, creating a distributed network of thermal vias and conductive pathways that extend through the stacked die configuration. Each layer of the substrate is divided into multiple thermal conduction channels that independently extract heat from different regions of the stacked dies, preventing thermal accumulation and enabling effective cooling of multi-layer configurations.
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 enhances heat transfer efficiency and maintains a compact form factor by providing additional heat paths, improving device performance and thermal management in microelectronic assemblies with stacked IC dies.
Implementation Method 1
a thermally conductive material in contact with the thermal via in the package substrate
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments of a microelectronic assembly comprises a first layer, a second layer and a third layer in a stack; a package substrate in the first layer, the package substrate comprising a metallic via structure; a first integrated circuit (IC) die surrounded by an organic dielectric material in the second layer, the first IC die coupled to the package substrate; a second IC die in the third layer, the second IC die coupled to the first IC die; and a third IC die in the third layer, the third IC die coupled to the first IC die. An electrically conductive pathway in the first IC die electrically couples the third IC die and the second IC die, and the first IC die is coupled to the package substrate with a thermally conductive material in contact with the metallic via structure in the package substrate.