Thermally Conductive Electronic Packaging With Insulated Metal Substrate

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing electronic packaging designs fail to effectively manage thermal dissipation and electrical isolation, particularly when incorporating multiple dies with different backside electrical potentials, leading to suboptimal thermal performance and limited power dissipation.

Innovation Solution

A circuit board with a metallic base plate, thermally conductive dielectric, and multiple metallic pads, where each die is coupled to a respective pad, allowing for distinct bottom-side electrical potentials and efficient heat conduction through the metallic base plate, thermally conductive dielectric, and pads to an external heat sink.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If standard lead frame material and SMT package are used, then manufacturing is simplified, but thermal performance is limited

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanufacturing simplicityVSAvoidthermal performance

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses a composite structure combining metallic base plate, thermally conductive dielectric material, and copper foil pads to create an insulated metal substrate (IMS) that provides both mechanical support and enhanced thermal conduction pathways while maintaining electrical isolation between different potential domains

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts the thermal conduction function from the electrical lead frame structure by implementing a separate metallic base plate with thermally conductive dielectric layers, allowing thermal management to be decoupled from electrical connectivity requirements

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Reliability

If electrical isolation between die with different potentials is implemented, then electrical safety is improved, but thermal dissipation path is disrupted

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveelectrical isolationVSAvoidthermal dissipation

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a thermally conductive dielectric material as an intermediary layer between die with different electrical potentials, which electrically isolates the die while thermally conducting heat away from each die through the metallic base plate to the heat sink

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the thermal and electrical functions by creating separate pathways: electrical isolation is achieved through dielectric layers between pads, while thermal conduction is achieved through the metallic base plate and copper foil layers, allowing independent optimization of both functions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Temperature

If external heat pad is attached to PCB pad, then heat dissipation is enabled, but thermal path resistance increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheat dissipation capabilityVSAvoidthermal path complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the heat pad function directly into the circuit board structure by integrating the metallic base plate, thermally conductive dielectric, and copper foil pads into a unified IMS substrate, eliminating the need for separate external heat pads and reducing thermal interface resistance

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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 enhances thermal dissipation and electrical isolation, enabling full power dissipation and improved thermal performance by conducting heat away from the dies through the metallic base plate and pads, while maintaining electrical isolation between the dies and heat sink.

Implementation Method 1

The apparatus is further configured to conduct heat from the plurality of die away from the plurality of die via at least the metallic base plate, the thermally conductive dielectric, and the plurality of metallic pads

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Data Source

PatentUS10957618B2Thermally conductive electronic packaging

Publication Date: 2021.03.23 APEX MICROTECHNOLOGY INC

AI summary

Disclosed herein are apparatuses and methods for configuring a circuit board to have a plurality of die having different bottom-side electrical potential. An apparatus comprises a circuit board comprising a metallic base plate, a thermally conductive dielectric, and a plurality of metallic pads. Each of a plurality of die of the apparatus is coupled to a respective one of the plurality of metallic pads, and the plurality of die comprises a first die and a second die. Based on each of the plurality of die being coupled to a respective one of the plurality of metallic foil pads, the first die is configured to exhibit a first bottom-side electrical potential and the second die is configured to exhibit a second bottom-side electrical potential. The apparatus is further configured to conduct heat from the plurality of die away from the plurality of die via at least the metallic base plate, the thermally conductive dielectric, and the plurality of metallic pads.