Photonic-Electronic IC Package Layout for Thermal Isolation
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Solution Overview
Problem
The miniaturization of semiconductor devices leads to increased complexity in manufacturing and thermal management challenges due to high power density, as photonic ICs are sensitive to heat from adjacent electronic ICs, requiring effective heat dissipation solutions.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating heat spreaders, such as transparent or metal heat spreaders, within the IC device to dissipate heat generated by electronic ICs away from photonic ICs, along with multilayer structures and redistribution structures for efficient thermal management and optical coupling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of moving object
If photonic ICs are integrated with electronic ICs in a miniaturized package, then integration density is improved, but thermal management becomes more difficult due to heat sensitivity of photonic ICs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the IC package into distinct functional regions: an electronic IC region for high-power processing and a photonic IC region for optical processing. This spatial segmentation allows each component to operate in its optimal thermal environment, with the electronic IC generating heat in its dedicated region while the photonic IC remains in a cooler zone, thus resolving the thermal management challenge while maintaining high integration density.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces intermediate thermal management structures between the electronic IC and photonic IC, including heat dissipation features in the substrate and thermal isolation layers. These intermediary elements act as thermal buffers that block heat transfer from the hot electronic IC to the heat-sensitive photonic IC, enabling close integration without thermal interference.
2Volume of moving object
If miniaturization is pursued to reduce device size, then compactness is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases due to multiple components with different materials
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a multi-functional substrate that simultaneously serves as the base for both electronic IC and photonic IC integration, provides thermal management pathways, enables optical routing between components, and offers mechanical support. This universal substrate consolidates multiple functions into a single platform, reducing the number of separate components and interfaces needed, thereby simplifying manufacturing while achieving miniaturization.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a nested integration architecture where the photonic IC is positioned over and integrated with the electronic IC on the same substrate, with optical waveguides routed through intermediate layers. This nested arrangement allows multiple components to occupy overlapping or adjacent spaces efficiently, maximizing space utilization for compactness while maintaining manageable manufacturing complexity through systematic layering.
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 enables efficient heat dissipation, stabilizes photonic IC performance by reducing heat transfer from electronic ICs, and allows for compact, high-performance photonic and electronic IC packages with integrated thermal management.
Implementation Method 1
Incorporating heat spreaders, such as transparent or metal heat spreaders, within the IC device to dissipate heat generated by electronic ICs away from photonic ICs
Data Source
AI summary
An IC device includes a heat spreader, an electronic component over the heat spreader, an optical component over the electronic component, a multilayer structure over the optical component, and a redistribution structure over the multilayer structure. The multilayer structure includes a waveguide optically coupled to the optical component. The redistribution structure is electrically coupled to the electronic component by vias through the optical component and the multilayer structure.