In-Chip Active Heat Transfer System for Stacked Semiconductor Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional three-dimensional chip configurations face challenges in heat dissipation, particularly when high power-consuming chips are stacked, leading to restricted complexity and performance due to limited heat management capabilities.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a current-driven heat transfer system within the chip and stacked configurations to enhance heat dissipation, allowing for active heat transfer and temperature monitoring, which can be strategically positioned near 'hot spots' and integrated into the metallization or substrate levels for efficient thermal conductivity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If multiple high power-consuming chips are stacked in three-dimensional configuration, then packing density and functionality are improved, but heat dissipation capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
A thermally conductive material is introduced as an intermediary substance filling the cavity between stacked chips. This material serves as a thermal mediator that conducts heat away from the chips while occupying the available space, thereby maintaining packing density while improving heat dissipation capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The thermal conductivity parameter of the material filling the cavity is changed from low (insulating) to high (thermally conductive). This parameter change transforms the material's function from thermal insulation to active heat dissipation, enabling effective thermal management in three-dimensional chip configurations.
2Device complexity
If conventional passive heat dissipation is used in stacked chip configurations, then device complexity is reduced, but temperature management capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The thermally conductive material provides passive heat dissipation functionality without requiring external control systems or active components. The material inherently conducts heat from high to low temperature regions through its thermal conductivity property, enabling self-service temperature management.
Solution Approach 2:
The thermally conductive material serves multiple functions simultaneously: it fills the cavity space between chips, provides thermal conduction pathways, and acts as a structural support element. This multi-functionality improves temperature management without significantly increasing device complexity.
3Power
If high power consumption is enabled in semiconductor devices, then operational performance is improved, but heat generation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The heat generated by high power consumption, which is normally a harmful byproduct, is converted into a manageable thermal flow by introducing the thermally conductive material. This material captures and conducts the waste heat away from the chips, transforming the harmful heat generation into a controlled thermal management process.
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 approach increases the packing density and performance of semiconductor devices by enabling effective heat dissipation and temperature management, allowing for increased power consumption and operational efficiency without redesigning existing circuit architectures, and can convert waste heat into usable electric energy.
Implementation Method 1
at least some of the second device features form a current driven heat transfer system... integrated into the metallization or substrate levels for efficient thermal conductivity
Implementation Method 2
a heat sink located above the second chip and thermally coupled to the current driven heat transfer system
Data Source
AI summary
By providing thermoelectric elements, such as Peltier elements, in a semiconductor device, the overall heat management may be increased. In some illustrative embodiments, the corresponding active cooling/heating systems may be used in a stacked chip configuration to establish an efficient thermally conductive path between temperature critical circuit portions and a heat sink of the stacked chip configuration.