Integrated Cooling Assembly With Bonded Coolant Chamber Surfaces
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cooling systems for microelectronic devices face challenges in efficiently managing the increasing thermal flux due to higher power density in semiconductor devices, leading to elevated chip temperatures that degrade performance, efficiency, and reliability.
Innovation Solution
The integration of advanced cooling assemblies within device packages, featuring coolant chamber volumes with increased surface area and methods of manufacturing that include direct bonding of substrates with native or thermal oxide layers to enhance thermal transfer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional cooling systems are used with standard heat dissipation devices, then the system structure is simple, but cooling efficiency is reduced due to insufficient thermal transfer
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the cooling system with the device package by integrating the cold plate directly into the package structure. The cold plate is formed as an integral part of the package substrate, eliminating the need for separate cooling components and achieving better thermal contact with the semiconductor device while maintaining structural simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The coolant chamber volume is nested within the cold plate structure, with the chamber formed by recesses in the cold plate body. This nested design allows the cooling system to be compactly integrated into the device package without increasing overall footprint, while providing sufficient coolant contact area for efficient heat dissipation.
2Power
If chip performance is improved through increased gate density and multi-core microprocessors, then processing power increases, but thermal flux increases leading to elevated chip temperatures
Solution Approach 1:
The cold plate acts as an intermediary thermal management component between the semiconductor device and the coolant. It provides a large surface area for heat transfer from the device to the coolant, effectively mediating the thermal flux generated by high-power processing and preventing temperature elevation that would degrade performance.
3Strength
If oxide layers are used for substrate bonding, then bonding strength is improved, but thermal transfer efficiency is reduced due to thermal resistance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different oxide layer characteristics to different regions: a first oxide layer is formed on the bonding surface for strong adhesion to the semiconductor device, while a second oxide layer with different properties is formed on the opposite surface for optimal thermal transfer to the coolant. This local differentiation of oxide layer properties simultaneously achieves both strong bonding and efficient thermal transfer.
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 proposed solution improves cooling efficiency by increasing the surface area for heat transfer and optimizing the manufacturing process to ensure direct and efficient thermal contact between semiconductor devices and coolant fluids.
Implementation Method 1
patterning a first substrate to form patterned regions comprising a thermal oxide layer
Implementation Method 2
Portions of the first substrate exposed to the coolant chamber volume comprise a native oxide layer
Implementation Method 3
cold plate with surfaces that facilitate more efficient thermal transfer of heat from a semiconductor device to coolant fluid
Implementation Method 4
preparing first and second substrates for bonding using a plasma activation process
Data Source
AI summary
A method of manufacturing a device package. The method comprises patterning a first substrate to form patterned regions comprising a thermal oxide layer. The method further comprises directly bonding the patterned regions of the first substrate to a second substrate to form a bonding interface. The bonded first and second substrates form an integrated cooling assembly comprising a coolant chamber volume. Portions of the first substrate exposed to the coolant chamber volume comprise a native oxide layer.