Enhanced systems and methods for improved heat transfer from semiconductor packages

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11545410-B2
Application number	US-201816222854-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 17, 2018
Priority date	Dec 17, 2018
Publication date	Jan 3, 2023
Grant date	Jan 3, 2023

Abstract

Enhanced thermal energy transfer systems for semiconductor packages are provided. A thermally conductive member is disposed in the interstitial space between an upper surface of a semiconductor package and a lower surface of a thermal member. The thermally conductive member is disposed above a first portion of the upper surface of the semiconductor package having a relatively higher thermal energy output when the semiconductor package is operating. A thermal interface material is disposed in the interstitial space and a force applied to the thermal member. The thermally conductive member forms a relatively higher pressure region above the first portion of the semiconductor package and a relatively lower pressure region in other portions of the semiconductor package remote from the thermally conductive member. The increased pressure region proximate the thermally conductive member beneficially enhances the flow of thermal energy from the first portion of the semiconductor package to the thermal member.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. An electronic device, comprising:
a printed circuit board;
a semiconductor die coupled to the printed circuit board, the semiconductor die having an upper surface and a lower surface, a first portion of the semiconductor die produces a first thermal output when the semiconductor die is in operation, a second portion of the semiconductor die produces a second thermal output when the semiconductor die is in operation, the second thermal output less than the first thermal output;
a thermal member having a lower surface spaced apart from the upper surface of the semiconductor die, an interstitial space between the thermal member and the semiconductor die, the lower surface of the thermal member spaced apart from the upper surface of the semiconductor die by a first distance;
a thermally conductive member in the interstitial space, the thermally conductive member at least partially between the first portion of the semiconductor die and the lower surface of the thermal member, the thermally conductive member extending a second distance between the lower surface of the thermal member and the upper surface of the semiconductor die, the second distance less than the first distance;
a thermal interface material (TIM) in the interstitial space between the thermal member and the semiconductor die such that:
a first portion of the TIM between the thermal member and the first portion of the upper surface of the semiconductor die having a first thickness corresponding to a difference between the first distance and the second distance; and
a second portion of the TIM between the thermal member and the second portion of the semiconductor die having a second thickness that is greater than the first thickness, the second thickness corresponding to the first distance such that the TIM contacts both the lower surface of the thermal member and the upper surface of the semiconductor die, the first and second portions of the TIM corresponding to different portions of a continuous segment of the TIM; and

a housing at least partially about the printed circuit board.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the thermally conductive member is proximate to the upper surface of the semiconductor die.

3. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the thermally conductive member includes one or more materials having a first thermal conductivity, the thermal member having a second thermal conductivity, the first thermal conductivity equal to or greater than the second thermal conductivity.

4. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the thermally conductive member includes one or more materials having a first thermal conductivity, the TIM having a second thermal conductivity, the first thermal conductivity equal to or greater than the second thermal conductivity.

5. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the thermal member has a first thermal conductivity, the first portion of the TIM has a second thermal conductivity, and the second portion of the TIM has a third thermal conductivity, the first thermal conductivity and the second thermal conductivity being greater than the third thermal conductivity.

6. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein a first pressure exerted on the first portion of the upper surface of the semiconductor die is greater than a second pressure exerted on the second portion of the upper surface of the semiconductor die.

7. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the TIM includes a slurry of particles having a first thermal conductivity in a carrier material having a second thermal conductivity, the first thermal conductivity higher than the second thermal conductivity.

8. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the thermally conductive member includes copper.

9. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the thermally conductive member has a thickness of from about 1 micrometers (μm) to about 2 millimeters (mm).

10. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the first portion of the upper surface of the semiconductor die includes a region of the upper surface of the semiconductor die proximate a central processing unit (CPU) semiconductor die.

11. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the thermal member includes a cold plate.

12. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the thermally conductive member is proximate the lower surface of the thermal member.

13. The electronic device of claim 12 , wherein at least a portion of the thermally conductive member is integral with and projects from the lower surface of the thermal member.

14. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the thermally conductive member is spaced apart from an area of the interstitial space between the second portion of the semiconductor die and the lower surface of the thermal member.

15. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the thermally conductive member is enclosed by the TIM and one of the upper surface of the semiconductor die or the lower surface of the thermal member.

16. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the thermally conductive member has a first surface, a second surface opposite the first surface, and a lateral surface extending between the first surface and the second surface, the first surface of the thermally conductive member interfacing with one of the upper surface of the semiconductor die or the lower surface of the thermal member, the TIM interfacing with the second surface and the lateral surface of the thermally conductive member.

17. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the thermally conductive member has a lower compressibility than the TIM.

18. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the thermally conductive member has a first width, the TIM has a third width, and the upper surface of the semiconductor die has a second width, the first width less than the second width, the first width less than the third width.

19. The electronic device of claim 18 , wherein the second width corresponds to the third width.

Assignees

• Intel Corp

Inventors

• Macdonald Mark
• Pidwerbecki David
• Gallina Mark
• Peterson Jerrod

Classifications

• H10W76/47

  Solid or gel fillings · CPC title

• H10W72/877

  Bump connectors and die-attach connectors · CPC title

• H10W40/226

  characterised by projecting parts, e.g. fins to increase surface area (leadframes for cooling H10W70/461) · CPC title

• H10W40/60

  Securing means for detachable heating or cooling arrangements, e.g. clamps · CPC title

• H10W40/47

  by flowing liquids, e.g. forced water cooling · CPC title