Advanced Electronic Cooling Technologies

A new material, diamond-copper composite, is proposed for the evaporator of a copper-water heat pipe. The composite offers two benefits; very high thermal conductivity and CTE in the same range as semiconductor material. These properties enable heat pipes that can be directly attached to the highest power dies. The high conductivity layer spreads the heat, lowering the flux from 1000 W/cm2 to 100 W/cm2, a level which can be handled by the heat pipe wick. The CTE, tailorable over the range of common semiconductors, reduces thermally induced stress at the die interface. The conventional copper condenser of such a heat pipe could extend through the package, thermally linking the die to a cold rail or other heat sink. This design would eliminate several layers and interfaces, lowering the overall thermal resistance by 20-50%. BENEFIT: This design would enable lower operating temperatures for high power electronics components. This technology is equally applicable to military and commercial products. Initial revenue potential would be on the order of $0.5-2m per year, with future potential $10-20m per year in 5 years.