Rigid-Flexible Substrate Thermal Management for ICs
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electronic devices face challenges in efficiently dissipating heat generated by active devices within compact spaces, leading to potential performance deterioration of integrated circuits due to inadequate heat dissipation.
Innovation Solution
A rigid-flexible substrate module is designed with a first and second region, where the second region is more flexible and laterally extended, incorporating multiple heat dissipation ground layers and vias to enhance thermal conductivity and electromagnetic shielding, while also serving as a signal transmission path, and a heat sink is integrated to manage heat effectively.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If a rigid-flexible substrate is used to reduce device size and utilize space efficiently, then the compactness and space utilization are improved, but heat dissipation becomes insufficient leading to performance deterioration of integrated circuits
Solution Approach 1:
The substrate is divided into a rigid region and a flexible region with different thermal conductivity characteristics. The rigid region has higher thermal conductivity for effective heat dissipation, while the flexible region provides space efficiency and adaptability. This segmentation allows the device to maintain compact size while ensuring adequate heat dissipation performance.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the substrate are assigned different thermal conductivity properties to fulfill different functions. The rigid region is designed with high thermal conductivity for heat dissipation, while the flexible region has lower thermal conductivity but provides mechanical flexibility and space utilization. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction between compactness and heat dissipation.
2Ease of manufacture
If the substrate structure is simplified to ease manufacturing, then manufacturing ease is improved, but electromagnetic noise increases affecting signal transmission quality
Solution Approach 1:
A ground layer is introduced as an intermediary element between signal lines to provide electromagnetic shielding. This ground layer acts as a mediator that blocks electromagnetic noise while maintaining the overall simplicity of the substrate structure. The ground layer can be integrated into the existing rigid-flexible substrate manufacturing process without significantly complicating production.
3Temperature
If heat dissipation ground layers are added to improve thermal conductivity and electromagnetic shielding, then heat dissipation and signal integrity are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The ground layer is designed to serve multiple functions simultaneously: it provides thermal conduction for heat dissipation, electromagnetic shielding for noise reduction, and signal reference for stable signal transmission. By making the ground layer multi-functional, the patent avoids adding separate components for each function, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity while achieving improved heat dissipation and signal integrity.
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 solution effectively dissipates heat from integrated circuits, reduces electromagnetic noise, and maintains efficient signal transmission, thereby improving the performance and reliability of electronic devices by optimizing heat management and signal integrity.
Implementation Method 1
a first heat dissipation ground layer having a first portion that overlaps the first region when viewed in a vertical direction, and a second portion different from the first portion that overlaps the first laterally extended region when viewed in a vertical direction
Implementation Method 2
a heat sink may be disposed in a position higher or lower than a position of the first laterally extended region of the second region of the rigid-flexible substrate
Implementation Method 3
a heat sink may be disposed in a position higher or lower than a position of the first laterally extended region of the second region of the rigid-flexible substrate
Implementation Method 4
a signal line electrically connected to the IC and extending to a lateral end of the second region of the rigid-flexible substrate
Data Source
AI summary
An electronic device and rigid-flexible substrate module includes a rigid-flexible substrate having a first region and a second region more flexible than the first region and having a first laterally extended region extending in a first lateral direction further than the first region, an integrated circuit (IC) disposed in a position lower than a position of the first region of the rigid-flexible substrate, a signal line electrically connected to the IC and extending to a lateral end of the second region of the rigid-flexible substrate, and a first heat dissipation ground layer including a first portion that overlaps the first region when viewed in a vertical direction, and a second portion different from the portion that overlaps the first laterally extended region when viewed in a vertical direction.