Interleaved Heat Spreader Projections for Memory Thermal Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Memory packages face challenges in heat dissipation due to increased density and processing speed, leading to elevated temperatures, especially in systems with reduced spacing between adjacent memory modules, where conventional heat spreaders are insufficient for effective airflow and heat dissipation.
Innovation Solution
The use of heat spreaders with different arrangements of projections on adjacent memory modules, allowing for interleaved projections that increase the surface area and thermal capacity, and the integration of a fan unit for forced airflow to enhance heat dissipation, even in tightly packed memory systems.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If memory device density and processing speed are increased, then memory performance is improved, but heat generation increases causing devices to exceed maximum operating temperatures
Solution Approach 1:
The heat spreader is segmented into multiple projections arranged in arrays, creating multiple discrete heat dissipation zones. This segmentation allows heat to be distributed across numerous contact points with the memory devices, improving thermal management effectiveness while maintaining high memory density and performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The heat spreader transitions from a conventional flat planar structure to a three-dimensional structure with multiple projections extending upward. This dimensional change increases the surface area available for heat transfer and creates channels for airflow, enabling more effective heat dissipation from high-density memory devices.
2Ease of manufacture
If conventional heat spreaders are used in tightly packed memory systems, then manufacturing is simplified, but heat dissipation becomes insufficient due to reduced spacing between modules
Solution Approach 1:
The heat spreader is divided into multiple projections that can be manufactured as integrated structures using conventional semiconductor fabrication techniques. This segmented design maintains manufacturing simplicity while dramatically improving heat dissipation capability in tightly packed memory systems through increased surface area and airflow channels.
3Temperature
If heat spreader surface area is increased to improve heat dissipation, then thermal capacity increases, but spacing requirements between adjacent memory modules increase
Solution Approach 1:
The heat spreader utilizes the vertical dimension by creating multiple projections that extend upward from the substrate plane. This three-dimensional configuration increases the effective heat dissipation surface area without requiring additional horizontal spacing between memory modules, thereby maintaining high system density while improving thermal management.
Solution Approach 2:
The projections are arranged in interleaved arrays where projections from adjacent heat spreaders nest between each other when modules are positioned closely. This nesting arrangement allows maximum thermal capacity with minimum spacing between memory modules.
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 configuration effectively dissipates heat from memory devices in densely packed systems, preventing overheating and improving the reliability and performance of memory systems by increasing the thermal capacity and airflow through the use of interleaved projections and forced air flow.
Implementation Method 1
The heat spreader can include a thermally conductive body
Implementation Method 2
a plurality of projections extending from a outermost surface of the heat spreader
Data Source
AI summary
A memory system having heat spreaders with different arrangements of projections are provided. In some embodiments, the memory system comprises a substrate, a first semiconductor device attached to a first side of the substrate, a second semiconductor device attached to a second side of the substrate, a first heat spreader attached to the first semiconductor device, and a second heat spreader attached to the second semiconductor device. The first heat spreader has a plurality of first projections facing a first direction and positioned in a first arrangement, and the second heat spreader has a plurality of second projections facing a second direction and positioned in a second arrangement different than the first arrangement. In some embodiments, the first projections are aligned with a majority of the second projections in a first direction and are offset with a majority of the second projections in a second direction.