High Thermal Conductivity Metal Socket for Laser Diode Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current housings for electronic components, particularly in high-frequency data transmission, face limitations in cooling capacity due to the size constraints of thermal electric coolers, which can lead to signal losses and reliability issues with laser components.
Innovation Solution
A TO housing design featuring a socket with a shell part made of high thermal conductivity metal (≥100 W/mK) that can be externally attached to a thermoelectric cooler, allowing for increased cooling capacity without increasing the housing size, and enabling direct soldering of components to minimize signal losses.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a thermoelectric cooler is arranged inside the housing with the laser diode attached directly onto it, then cooling is provided directly to the heat source, but the package size and other components limit the size of the thermal electric cooler, resulting in limited cooling capacity
Solution Approach 1:
The socket is divided into a base body and a shell part, where the base body accommodates the laser diode and the shell part provides the thermal management interface. This segmentation allows the cooling function to be separated from the housing constraints, enabling external attachment of a larger thermoelectric cooler to the shell part while maintaining a compact housing.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention moves the thermoelectric cooler from an internal arrangement constrained by housing volume to an external arrangement attached to the shell part. This dimensional transition allows the cooler to extend beyond the housing boundaries, effectively increasing cooling capacity without increasing the housing volume.
2Temperature
If the shell part includes a metal with high thermal conductivity (≥100 W/mK), then thermal management is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Only the shell part of the socket requires high thermal conductivity metal (≥100 W/mK), while the base body can use standard materials. This localized application of high-performance material minimizes manufacturing complexity by limiting the use of expensive, difficult-to-manufacture materials to only where they are functionally necessary for thermal management.
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 design enhances cooling efficiency, reduces signal losses, and allows for a compact housing size while accommodating higher power devices, maintaining precise temperature control for laser components.
Implementation Method 1
at least the shell part of the socket includes a metal with a thermal conductivity of more than 100 W/mK, optionally more than 200 W/mK
Implementation Method 2
a thermoelectric cooler is used to control laser temperature
Data Source
AI summary
A socket for an electronic component includes: an electrically insulating material; a base body including at least one opening configured for accommodating an electrically conductive pin configured for being electrically connected to the electronic component, the at least one opening being sealed with the electrically insulating material such that the electrically conductive pin is fed through the at least one opening while being electrically insulated from the base body; and a shell part including a pedestal configured for accommodating the electronic component, at least the shell part of the socket including a metal with a thermal conductivity of at least 100 W/mK.