Photonic Engine TEC Packaging for Optical Module Heat Dissipation
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Solution Overview
Problem
High-performance computing systems with optical I/O modules face significant heat dissipation challenges due to low laser-to-electrical signal conversion efficiency, leading to elevated temperatures in optical modules.
Innovation Solution
Integration of a Thermal-Electronic Cooler (TEC) with a photonic engine, where the TEC's cold side is attached to the engine and its hot side away, conducting heat away through the application of current, enhancing heat dissipation efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If laser is used for optical signal conversion, then optical I/O functionality is achieved, but heat dissipation becomes problematic due to low conversion efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the heat dissipation function from the optical module by integrating a separate TEC (thermoelectric cooler) device. The TEC's cold side is attached to the photonic engine to extract heat, while the hot side dissipates heat to the environment, effectively separating the optical signal conversion function from the heat management function.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a TEC device as an intermediary between the photonic engine and the heat sink. The TEC acts as a thermal mediator that actively pumps heat from the photonic engine (cold side) to the heat sink (hot side), enabling controlled heat transfer and temperature management.
2Temperature
If TEC is integrated to cool photonic engine, then heat dissipation efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the TEC device with the photonic engine package by attaching the TEC cold side directly to the photonic engine substrate. The electrical connections are integrated through the substrate, and the hot side is connected to the heat sink, combining multiple functions (cooling, electrical connection, thermal management) into a unified package structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The TEC device serves multiple functions: it provides active cooling to the photonic engine, acts as a thermal bridge between the engine and heat sink, and its electrical connections serve both power delivery and signal transmission purposes. The substrate serves both as mechanical support and as an electrical interconnect medium.
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
The TEC effectively reduces the temperature of the photonic engine by utilizing the Peltier effect, improving heat dissipation and maintaining the engine within a suitable operating range while minimizing power consumption.
Implementation Method 1
The TEC effectively reduces the temperature of the photonic engine by utilizing the Peltier effect
Data Source
AI summary
A method includes bonding a photonic engine onto an interposer, and bonding a package component onto the interposer. The package component includes a device die. The method further includes encapsulating the package component and the photonic engine in an encapsulant, attaching a thermal-electronic cooler to the photonic engine, and attaching a metal lid to the package component.