Concentric Rib Heat Spreader for Uniform Chip Contact Pressure

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Solution Overview

Problem

Traditional heat distribution devices are less effective for larger microelectronic chips, as they struggle to maintain uniform bond and control contact pressure due to increased curvature, leading to inefficiencies in thermal resistance and manufacturing costs.

Innovation Solution

A heat distribution device with a central vent aperture and concentrically arranged ribs forming non-planar surfaces within a cavity, allowing for sloped top surfaces that compensate for chip curvature, enhancing contact pressure and thermal interface material distribution.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If traditional heat distribution devices are used for larger microelectronic chips, then the device structure remains simple, but the contact pressure uniformity deteriorates due to increased chip curvature

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontact pressure uniformityVSAvoiddevice structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies curvature by forming the heat distribution device surface with a radius of curvature that matches the chip curvature. This allows the device to conform to the chip's curved surface, ensuring uniform contact pressure distribution across the entire chip surface, thereby resolving the contradiction between maintaining simple structure and achieving pressure uniformity on large curved chips.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements local quality by creating a non-uniform surface profile with varying height across the heat distribution device. The surface is designed with different curvatures and elevations in different regions to specifically compensate for the chip's curvature characteristics, enabling localized contact pressure optimization while maintaining overall structural simplicity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Area of moving object

If larger microelectronic chips are used, then the chip size increases for higher performance, but the thermal resistance increases due to curvature effects

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvechip sizeVSAvoidthermal resistance
Core Design Contradiction:
Area of moving objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

By matching the heat distribution device's radius of curvature to the chip's curvature, the patent ensures optimal thermal contact across the entire large chip surface. This curvature matching eliminates air gaps and improves thermal interface quality, thereby reducing thermal resistance while maintaining the benefits of larger chip size for higher performance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the geometric parameters of the heat distribution device, specifically the surface profile and radius of curvature, to optimize thermal contact. By adjusting these parameters to match the chip characteristics, the device achieves improved thermal coupling and reduced thermal resistance across large chip areas.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Area of moving object

If larger microelectronic chips are used, then the chip area increases for better performance, but the manufacturing cost increases due to bonding difficulties

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvechip areaVSAvoidbonding process
Core Design Contradiction:
Area of moving objectVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The curvature-matched heat distribution device enables uniform bonding pressure across large chip areas, making the bonding process more controllable and reliable. This reduces defects and rework, thereby lowering manufacturing costs despite the increased chip area that would otherwise make bonding more difficult.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

Solution Approach 2:

By implementing localized surface variations in the heat distribution device, the patent optimizes contact pressure distribution in different bonding regions. This ensures consistent bonding quality across the entire large chip surface, simplifying the bonding process and reducing manufacturing complexity and costs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

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 device achieves uniform and increased contact pressure across larger chips, improving thermal efficiency and reducing manufacturing costs by compensating for chip curvature, even with varying planarity.

Implementation Method 1

A thermal interface material disposed within the channels and between the semiconductor chip and a surface of the recessed cavity

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Data Source

PatentEP4358127B1Heat distribution device with flow channels
Publication Date: 2026.02.04 GOOGLE LLC
  • EP4358127B1 patent drawingFigure 1A~1C
  • EP4358127B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4358127B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A heat distribution device includes a main body, a recessed cavity and a plurality of ribs. The a recessed cavity is positioned within the main body and includes an interior surface, a peripheral wall extending around and defining the interior surface, and a central point within the recessed cavity. A plurality of ribs extend away from the interior surface of the recessed cavity. The plurality of ribs are concentrically arranged around the central point and define a plurality of channels therebetween. Each of the plurality of ribs have a top surface sloping toward the central point. The plurality of ribs are arranged so that the top surfaces of the plurality of ribs collectively form a non-planar surface within the heat distribution device.