Thermal interface structures for integrated circuit packages

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11869824-B2
Application number	US-201916672858-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 4, 2019
Priority date	Nov 4, 2019
Publication date	Jan 9, 2024
Grant date	Jan 9, 2024

Abstract

A thermal interface structure may be formed comprising a thermally conductive substrate having a first surface and an opposing second surface, a first liquid metal layer on the first surface of the thermally conductive substrate, and a second liquid metal layer on the second surface of the thermally conductive substrate. The thermal interface structure may be used in an integrated circuit assembly or package between at least one integrated circuit device and a heat dissipation device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus, comprising:
at least one integrated circuit device;
a heat dissipation device; and
a thermal interface structure thermally connecting the at least one integrated circuit device and the heat dissipation device, wherein the thermal interface structure comprises a thermally conductive substrate having a first surface and an opposing second surface, a first liquid metal layer between the at least one integrated circuit device and the first surface of the thermally conductive substrate, and a second liquid metal layer between the heat dissipation device and the second surface of the thermally conductive substrate, wherein the thermally conductive substrate comprises at least one opening extending from the first surface of the thermally conductive substrate to the second surface of the thermally conductive substrate, and wherein at least a portion of at least one of the first liquid metal layer and the second liquid metal layer extends into the at least one opening.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first liquid metal layer and the second liquid metal layer comprises an alloy of gallium, indium, and tin.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the thermally conductive substrate is selected from the group consisting of a metal substrate, a ceramic substrate, and a gap pad.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the thermally conductive substrate comprises an amorphous metal substrate.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the thermally conductive substrate comprises a refractory metal substrate.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a corrosion barrier layer between the heat dissipation device and the thermal interface structure.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising an electronic substrate, wherein the at least one integrated circuit device is electrically attached to the electronic substrate.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the heat dissipation device is attached to the electronic substrate.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a board; and
an integrated circuit assembly electrically attached to the board, wherein the integrated circuit assembly comprises the integrated circuit device, the heat dissipation device, and the thermal interface structure.

10. An apparatus, comprising:
an integrated circuit device;
a heat dissipation device; and
a thermal interface structure thermally coupling the integrated circuit device and the heat dissipation device, wherein the thermal interface structure comprises a substrate having a first surface and an opposing second surface, a first liquid metal layer between the integrated circuit device and the first surface, and a second liquid metal layer between the heat dissipation device and the second surface, wherein the substrate comprises an opening extending from the first surface to the second surface, and wherein at least a portion of at least one of the first liquid metal layer and the second liquid metal layer extends into the opening.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein at least one of the first liquid metal layer and the second liquid metal layer comprises an alloy of gallium, indium, and tin.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the substrate is selected from the group consisting of a metal substrate, a ceramic substrate, and a gap pad.

13. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the substrate comprises an amorphous metal substrate.

14. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the substrate comprises a refractory metal substrate.

15. The apparatus of claim 10 , further comprising a corrosion barrier layer between the heat dissipation device and the thermal interface structure.

16. The apparatus of claim 10 , further comprising an electronic substrate, wherein the integrated circuit device is electrically attached to the electronic substrate.

17. The apparatus of claim 10 , further comprising:
a board; and
an integrated circuit assembly electrically attached to the board, wherein the integrated circuit assembly comprises the integrated circuit device, the heat dissipation device, and the thermal interface structure.

18. An apparatus, comprising:
an integrated circuit device;
a heat dissipation device; and
a thermal interface structure thermally coupling the integrated circuit device and the heat dissipation device, wherein the thermal interface structure comprises a substrate having a first surface and an opposing second surface, a first liquid metal layer between the integrated circuit device and the first surface, and a second liquid metal layer between the heat dissipation device and the second surface, wherein the first liquid metal layer and the second liquid metal layer are liquid at a temperature of 25 degrees Celsius, and wherein the substrate comprises an opening extending from the first surface to the second surface, and wherein at least a portion of at least one of the first liquid metal layer and the second liquid metal layer extends into the opening.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein at least one of the first liquid metal layer and the second liquid metal layer comprises an alloy of gallium, indium, and tin.

20. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the substrate is selected from the group consisting of a metal substrate, a ceramic substrate, and a gap pad.

21. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the substrate comprises an amorphous metal substrate.

22. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the substrate comprises a refractory metal substrate.

23. The apparatus of claim 18 , further comprising a corrosion barrier layer between the heat dissipation device and the thermal interface structure.

24. The apparatus of claim 18 , further comprising an electronic substrate, wherein the integrated circuit device is electrically attached to the electronic substrate.

25. The apparatus of claim 18 , further comprising:
a board; and
an integrated circuit assembly electrically attached to the board, wherein the integrated circuit assembly comprises the integrated circuit device, the heat dissipation device, and the thermal interface structure.

Assignees

• Intel Corp

Inventors

• Arrington Kyle J
• Mccann Aaron
• Lofgreen Kelly
• Bozorg-Grayeli Elah
• Antoniswamy Aravindha
• Petrini Joseph B

Classifications

• H10W90/736

  between a chip and a stacked lead frame, conducting package substrate or heat sink · CPC title

• H10W90/734

  between a chip and a stacked insulating package substrate, interposer or RDL · CPC title

• H10W90/724

  between a chip and a stacked insulating package substrate, interposer or RDL · CPC title

• H10W72/07355

  changes in materials · CPC title

• H10W72/3524

  Eutectic alloys · CPC title