Preferentially Cooled Electronic Device Thermal Trace Routing
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Solution Overview
Problem
As electronic devices become smaller and more complex, efficiently dissipating heat from integrated circuits, particularly from non-uniformly heated regions, poses a significant challenge for conventional cooling techniques, which often require large spaces and fail to effectively draw heat from the inside of integrated circuits to external heat sinks.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a preferentially cooled electronic device design featuring a package substrate with semiconductor dies electrically and thermally connected via solder bumps, thermal traces, and a heat spreader, where thermal traces interconnect hot regions directly to heat dissipation paths, and vias connect these paths to ground planes, allowing for targeted heat dissipation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If conventional cooling techniques such as heat sinks are used, then heat dissipation is achieved, but large amount of space is required and heat cannot be effectively drawn from inside integrated circuits
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from external heat dissipation (heat sinks attached to the outside) to internal heat dissipation by routing thermal traces through the interior layers of the package substrate. This dimensional transition allows heat to be conducted away from hot spots directly through the substrate structure, eliminating the need for large external heat sinks while maintaining effective heat dissipation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent embeds thermal traces and heat dissipation pathways within the multi-layer package substrate structure itself. The thermal traces are nested between signal layers and ground planes, utilizing the internal volume of the substrate to create efficient heat conduction paths from the semiconductor die to the package exterior, thereby eliminating the need for separate external heat dissipation components.
2Productivity
If multiple processing cores are packed into smaller area, then device complexity and functionality increase, but heat generation increases and cooling becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements non-uniform thermal trace routing that provides enhanced heat dissipation pathways specifically at locations corresponding to high-power cores. The thermal traces are strategically positioned and dimensioned to match the local heat generation profile, with wider or more numerous traces under hotter regions, thereby addressing heat dissipation needs locally rather than uniformly across the entire device.
3Temperature
If thermal traces are added to interconnect ground bumps, then heat dissipation improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs the thermal traces to serve dual functions: they provide heat conduction pathways from hot spots to heat dissipation regions, and simultaneously serve as ground connections by interconnecting ground bumps. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated thermal management structures, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity while achieving effective heat dissipation.
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 heat dissipation by focusing cooling efforts on the hottest regions, reducing thermal resistance, and enabling effective heat removal from densely packed semiconductor dies, potentially eliminating the need for large heat sinks and improving electromagnetic shielding.
Implementation Method 1
Thermal traces interconnect some of the connection nodes. Heat dissipation traces on the package substrate are connected to interconnected connection nodes
Implementation Method 2
A heat spreader may be connected to the package substrate, and may particularly be connected to the heat dissipation traces on the package substrate
Implementation Method 3
a heat sink may be connected to the heat spreader
Data Source
AI summary
Various apparatuses and methods for a preferentially cooled electronic device are disclosed herein. For example, some embodiments provide an electronic apparatus including a package substrate and with a semiconductor die electrically and thermally connected to the package substrate by a plurality of connection nodes. At least one thermal trace interconnects at least one subset of the plurality of connection nodes. At least one heat dissipation trace on the package substrate is connected to the at least one subset of the plurality of connection nodes.