Topside Air Cooling Pillars for Compact Electronic Packages
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing semiconductor cooling systems are either too bulky and heavy to fit in compact electronic devices or they fail to efficiently cool electronic components, leading to performance limitations in high-power electronic components.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a semiconductor system with thermally conductive pillars formed on a substrate adjacent to the circuit, which operate as heat exchangers when cooled by air or other gases, enhancing heat dissipation while being compatible with existing wafer manufacturing processes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If conventional liquid cooling systems are used to cool high-power electronic components, then cooling effectiveness is improved, but weight and size increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces liquid cooling systems with air cooling systems, substituting a mechanical liquid circulation system with a simpler air-based thermal management approach. The thermally conductive pillars transfer heat from the semiconductor device to heat exchangers that dissipate heat directly to air, eliminating the need for liquid pumps, channels, and associated mechanical components, thereby reducing weight while maintaining cooling effectiveness
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the cooling function from a separate liquid cooling system and integrates it directly into the semiconductor package structure through thermally conductive pillars and heat exchangers. This integration eliminates the need for external liquid cooling infrastructure, reducing overall system weight and complexity while maintaining effective heat dissipation
2Volume of moving object
If compact cooling systems are designed to meet size constraints, then weight and size are reduced, but cooling efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from planar heat dissipation to three-dimensional heat management by incorporating vertical thermally conductive pillars that extend from the semiconductor device into heat exchangers. This vertical dimension provides additional heat transfer pathways and increases surface area for heat dissipation within a compact footprint, maintaining cooling efficiency while reducing overall system size
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite structures combining thermally conductive materials (such as copper or aluminum pillars) with heat exchanger materials optimized for air cooling. This composite approach creates a integrated thermal management system that maximizes heat transfer efficiency within minimal space, achieving effective cooling without increasing system volume
3Ease of manufacture
If thermally conductive pillars are formed using existing wafer manufacturing processes, then manufacturing cost and complexity are reduced, but pillar formation integration must be achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the pillar formation process with existing wafer manufacturing processes, integrating thermal management structures into the standard semiconductor fabrication sequence. By combining pillar formation with established manufacturing steps, the patent eliminates the need for separate, complex fabrication processes, thereby reducing manufacturing cost and simplifying production while achieving proper integration
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 solution provides effective and flexible cooling solutions for semiconductor systems, reducing weight, size, and cost compared to conventional liquid cooling methods, while maintaining high performance by efficiently dissipating heat generated by the semiconductor chip.
Implementation Method 1
The plurality of pillars is thermally conductive and is thermally coupled to the circuit so as to dissipate heat generated by the circuit during use
Implementation Method 2
heat dissipation of this cooling path is further improved as the coolant (e.g., air) having a thermal capacity flows over the surface of the fins
Data Source
AI summary
The semiconductor chip includes a semiconductor substrate having a surface, a circuit formed on the surface, and a plurality of pillars coupled to the surface adjacent to the circuit. The plurality of pillars is thermally conductive and is thermally coupled to the circuit so as to dissipate heat generated by the circuit. The semiconductor substrate, circuit, and plurality of pillars are integral parts of the integrated semiconductor chip. A method of fabricating the integrated semiconductor chip includes providing a semiconductor substrate having a surface. The method includes forming a circuit on the surface, and forming a plurality of pillars thermally coupled to the surface adjacent to the circuit.