SBIR Phase I: Dielectric-Graphite-Metal Enabled Cold Plate for High Power Microelectronics

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project is focused on the development of a unique, high efficiency cold plate technology for application to Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistors (IGBT) modules. The cold plate is enabled by a dielectric-graphite-metal composite material which serves as the cold plate's lid and provides for electric isolation of the electronic components and circuitry, minimizes the thermal resistance between the electronics and the heat sink fluid and minimizes the thermal stresses. The research objective of this project is the development of the manufacturing process and procedures required to produce the cold plate components and assembly; and the characterization of the cold plate's thermal performance. This cold plate technology will enable the cost effective manufacture of dielectric-graphite-metal materials that achieve the target thermal properties critical to satisfying thermal management solutions for high power applications for which existing thermal management materials are inadequate. The heat dissipation rate of electronic systems has increased dramatically as a result of ongoing advances in semiconductor materials, compression of circuit physical architecture, size reduction of packaging envelops and faster switching speed. There is a critical need for advanced active cooling solutions with improved thermal properties capable of meeting the thermal management requirements of current and future high power electronic systems. Today's high power electronics have reached heat flux levels of up to 500 W/cm2 and this level is projected to exceed 1,000 W/cm2 within several years. The market application for cold plate technology arising from this effort include power conversion systems, phased-array radar systems, high energy laser systems, telecommunication base station power electronics and high end computers.