Compliant pin fin heat sink and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9997435-B2
Application number	US-201615243255-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 22, 2016
Priority date	Feb 2, 2012
Publication date	Jun 12, 2018
Grant date	Jun 12, 2018

Abstract

A heat sink includes a plurality of layers being disposed substantially parallel with a surface of a heat source. The layers include a plurality of pin portions spaced apart from each other in a planar arrangement wherein the pin portions of the layers are stacked and bonded to form pin fins extending in a transverse direction relative to the heat source to sink heat. A compliant layer is disposed between the pin fins and a mechanical load. The compliant layer provides compliance such that the pin fins accommodate dimensional differences when interfacing with the heat source.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for forming a compliant heat sink, comprising:
providing a plurality of layers substantially parallel with a surface of a heat source, where each layer includes a plurality of pin portions spaced apart from each other in a planar arrangement and removable links connecting adjacent pin portions such that a ratio of a width of the pin portions to a width of the links is configured to make the planar sheet flexible either with the links or after removing at least one link;
aligning pin portions of adjacent sheets; and
bonding the pin portions of the adjacent sheets to form a stack of bonded sheets where the pin portions form columns of pin fins extending transversely from a heat source to heat sink the load.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising coupling the pin fins to a compliant sheet to accommodate loads and dimensional differences.

3. The method as recited in claim 2 , wherein the pin fins are enclosed in an enclosure to guide coolant flow.

4. The method as recited in claim 2 , wherein the compliant sheet forms a portion of the enclosure.

5. The method as recited in claim 2 , wherein the compliant sheet contacts a conformable layer of the enclosure.

6. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein aligning includes providing a removable handler connected to each sheet to permit handling and alignment of the sheets with other sheets.

7. The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising removing at least a portion of the links by at least one of a mechanical process or by etching.

8. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein bonding the pin portions includes at least one of thermo-compression, eutectic bonding, soldering and welding.

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Karidis John P
• Schultz Mark D

Classifications

• H10W72/50

  Bond wires · CPC title

• H10W72/00

  Interconnections or connectors in packages · CPC title

• H10W40/228

  the projecting parts being wire-shaped or pin-shaped · CPC title

• H10W40/43

  by flowing gases, e.g. forced air cooling · CPC title

• H10W40/037

  Assembling together parts thereof · CPC title