PCB Hat-Shaped Copper Spreader for Buried VR Die Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current semiconductor packaging solutions inadequately address the thermal management of voltage regulator (VR) dies buried in the package substrate, leading to increased Z-height and complexity when moving VR dies to the backside, and inefficiencies in heat dissipation without effectively cooling the entire package bottom region.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a discrete hat-shaped copper heat spreader component inserted through slots in the PCB, which thermally couples with VR dies using thermal interface material (TIM) to facilitate effective heat extraction from the package substrate, reducing Z-height and enhancing thermal control without increasing design complexity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If VR dies are moved to the backside of the package to improve thermal accessibility, then thermal management is improved, but Z-height increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a discrete hat-shaped copper spreader component that extends vertically through the PCB substrate, creating a new thermal conduction pathway in the vertical dimension. The spreader's legs penetrate through slots in the PCB and make contact with the backside of the package substrate, allowing heat to be conducted from the VR dies to the copper spreader without requiring the VR dies to be physically relocated to the backside, thus maintaining compact Z-height while improving thermal management
2Temperature
If bottom side heat dissipation uses embedded copper plugs in the PCB to draw heat to the PCB bottom, then heat extraction is improved, but routing channel width is limited and design complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The copper spreader is segmented into multiple legs that individually penetrate through separate slots in the PCB substrate. Each leg independently conducts heat from different contact points on the package substrate backside to the PCB bottom, distributing the thermal management function across multiple discrete elements rather than requiring a single complex embedded copper structure, thereby reducing routing constraints and design complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The discrete hat-shaped copper spreader acts as an intermediary component between the VR dies and the PCB bottom. Rather than directly embedding copper plugs into the PCB or relying on existing PCB traces, the copper spreader serves as a dedicated thermal conduction mediator that bridges the thermal gap, simplifying the overall thermal management architecture while effectively extracting heat to the PCB bottom
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 provides improved thermal management by effectively cooling VR dies while maintaining a reduced Z-height and minimizing design complexity, enhancing the thermal performance of electronic packages.
Implementation Method 1
thermally couples with VR dies using thermal interface material (TIM) to facilitate effective heat extraction
Implementation Method 2
discrete hat-shaped copper heat spreader component inserted through slots in the PCB, which thermally couples with VR dies... to facilitate effective heat extraction
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments disclosed herein include a printed circuit board (PCB). In an embodiment, the PCB comprises a substrate with a first surface and a second surface opposite from the first surface. In an embodiment, a first slot is through a thickness of the substrate, and a second slot is through the thickness of the substrate, where the first slot is parallel to the second slot. In an embodiment, a metal plate is provided on the PCB. In an embodiment the metal plate comprises a first portion over the first surface of the substrate between the first slot and the second slot, a second portion connected to the first portion, wherein the second portion is in the first slot, and a third portion connected to the first portion, wherein the third portion is in the second slot.