Non-Planar Thermal Interface Material for Heat Spreader
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for packaging semiconductor devices face challenges in efficiently transferring heat while maintaining mechanical and thermal stability, as flexible materials with poor heat transfer and brittle materials with good heat transfer but poor stress tolerance are used.
Innovation Solution
An electronic package design featuring a semiconductor device with a heat spreader layer and a thermal interface material layer containing resin with heat conductive particles, where a portion of the particles are exposed on a non-planar surface to enhance heat transfer, and an outer solder layer for improved contact and adhesion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If flexible materials are used for coupling semiconductor devices to package components, then mechanical and thermal stress tolerance is improved, but heat transfer performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a composite thermal interface material consisting of heat conductive particles (such as metal or ceramic particles) suspended in a flexible polymer matrix. This composite structure combines the stress-tolerance and flexibility of the polymer with the high thermal conductivity of the particles, resolving the contradiction between mechanical reliability and heat transfer performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies the physical and chemical parameters of the thermal interface material by adjusting particle concentration, particle size distribution, particle shape, and polymer matrix properties. These parameter changes optimize both the mechanical flexibility and thermal conductivity simultaneously, allowing the material to tolerate stresses while maintaining effective heat transfer.
2Temperature
If brittle materials are used for coupling semiconductor devices to package components, then heat transfer performance is improved, but mechanical and thermal stress tolerance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent embeds heat conductive particles within a flexible polymer matrix to create a composite material that exhibits both high thermal conductivity and mechanical flexibility. The polymer matrix prevents brittleness while the particles provide heat conduction pathways, simultaneously achieving good heat transfer and stress tolerance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates local regions of high thermal conductivity through the distribution of heat conductive particles within the flexible matrix. The material exhibits different properties at different scales: locally high thermal conductivity where particles are concentrated, and overall mechanical flexibility where the polymer matrix dominates, resolving the contradiction between heat transfer and stress tolerance.
3Ease of manufacture
If a planar surface is used for the thermal interface material layer, then manufacturing simplicity is improved, but heat transfer efficiency deteriorates due to resin-rich surfaces
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of accepting the conventional planar surface that becomes resin-rich during curing, the patent inverts the approach by deliberately creating a non-planar surface with exposed particles. This inversion transforms the surface morphology to prevent resin accumulation at the interface, thereby improving heat transfer while maintaining manufacturing feasibility through the particle-resin mixture approach.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a non-uniform surface morphology where different regions have different properties: peaks expose heat conductive particles for direct thermal contact, while valleys contain resin for adhesion and stress tolerance. This local differentiation of surface quality optimizes both heat transfer efficiency and mechanical bonding without complicating the manufacturing 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 design achieves efficient heat transfer and mechanical stability by exposing a majority of the heat conductive particles on the surface, allowing for effective heat dissipation and tolerance of thermal and mechanical stresses.
Implementation Method 1
The thermal interface material layer includes a resin layer having heat conductive particles suspended therein
Data Source
AI summary
An electronic package 100 comprising a semiconductor device 105, a heat spreader layer 110, and a thermal interface material layer 115 located between the semiconductor device and the heat spreader layer. The thermal interface material layer includes a resin layer 120 having heat conductive particles 125 suspended therein. A portion of the particles are exposed on at least one non-planar surface 135 of the resin layer such that the portion of exposed particles 130 occupies a majority of a total area of a horizontal plane 140 of the non-planar surface.