Interconnect Thermal Control Elements for Semiconductor Hotspots
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Solution Overview
Problem
The integration of high-density semiconductor devices poses challenges in thermal management, particularly in effectively dissipating heat from hotspots, which can lead to reduced reliability and performance.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a thermal control element made of thermal energy storage material into the interconnect of multiple tiers in a semiconductor device, which can be in the form of an array surrounding the hotspot, a bulk or plate with an opening, or a continuous plate, and is capable of penetrating through dielectric layers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If high integration density is achieved by shrinking device sizes, then more devices can be integrated into a given volume, but thermal management becomes more challenging and heat dissipation from hotspots deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the thermal management system into multiple tiers with thermal control elements distributed across different levels. Each tier independently manages heat from local hotspots, segmenting the thermal control function to effectively handle heat dissipation in high-density integrated devices without requiring a single large thermal management component.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from two-dimensional planar heat dissipation to three-dimensional thermal management by stacking multiple tiers vertically. Thermal control elements are positioned at different heights and depths, penetrating through dielectric layers to reach hotspots from multiple spatial dimensions, thereby improving heat dissipation capability while maintaining high integration density.
2Temperature
If thermal control elements are added to manage heat, then heat dissipation improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The thermal control elements serve multiple functions: they conduct heat away from hotspots, provide structural support within the interconnect, and act as thermal pathways across different tiers. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated thermal management components, thereby improving heat dissipation while limiting the increase in overall device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the thermal control function with the existing interconnect structure by integrating thermal control elements into the interconnect between tiers. This combination eliminates the need for separate thermal management structures, allowing heat dissipation improvement without proportionally increasing device complexity.
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 significantly improves heat dissipation from hotspots, enhancing the reliability and performance of semiconductor devices by effectively managing thermal energy.
Implementation Method 1
Incorporating a thermal control element made of thermal energy storage material into the interconnect of multiple tiers in a semiconductor device
Data Source
AI summary
A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor die. The semiconductor die includes a substrate including at least one active component, an interconnect disposed over and electrically coupled to the at least one active component, and at least one first thermal control element disposed inside the interconnect and thermally coupled to the at least one active component. The at least one active component is surrounded by the at least one first thermal control element in a vertical projection along a stacking direction of the substrate and the interconnect.