Micron and Submicron-Scale Characterization of Interfaces in Thermal Interface Material Systems

2006 ◽  
Vol 128 (2) ◽  
pp. 130-136 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arun Gowda ◽  
David Esler ◽  
Sandeep Tonapi ◽  
Annita Zhong ◽  
K. Srihari ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Performance ◽  
Acoustic Microscopy ◽  
Thermal Interface Material ◽  
System Level ◽  
Interfacial Behavior ◽  
Heat Spreader ◽  
Thermal Interface ◽  
Submicron Scale ◽  
Interface Materials

One of the key challenges in the thermal management of electronic packages are interfaces, such as those between the chip and heat spreader and the interface between a heat spreader and heat sink or cold plate. Typically, thermal interfaces are filled with materials such as thermal adhesives and greases. Interface materials reduce the contact resistance between the mating heat generating and heat sinking units by filling voids and grooves created by the nonsmooth surface topography of the mating surfaces, thus improving surface contact and the conduction of heat across the interface. However, micron and submicron voids and delaminations still exist at the interface between the interface material and the surfaces of the heat spreader and semiconductor device. In addition, a thermal interface material (TIM) may form a filler-depleted and resin-rich region at the interfaces. These defects, though at a small length scale, can significantly deteriorate the heat dissipation ability of a system consisting of a TIM between a heat generating surface and a heat dissipating surface. The characterization of a freestanding sample of TIM does not provide a complete understanding of its heat transfer, mechanical, and interfacial behavior. However, system-level characterization of a TIM system, which includes its freestanding behavior and its interfacial behavior, provides a more accurate understanding. While, measurement of system-level thermal resistance provides an accurate representation of the system performance of a TIM, it does not provide information regarding the physical behavior of the TIM at the interfaces. This knowledge is valuable in engineering interface materials and in developing assembly process parameters for enhanced system-level thermal performance. Characterization of an interface material between a silicon device and a metal heat spreader can be accomplished via several techniques. In this research, high-magnification radiography with computed tomography, acoustic microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy were used to characterize various TIM systems. The results of these characterization studies are presented in this paper. System-level thermal performance results are compared to physical characterization results.

scholarly journals Reliability Investigation of a Carbon Nanotube Array Thermal Interface Material

Energies ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (11) ◽  
pp. 2080 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andreas Nylander ◽  
Josef Hansson ◽  
Majid Kabiri Samani ◽  
Christian Chandra Darmawan ◽  
Ana Borta Boyon ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Cycling ◽  
Thermal Performance ◽  
Photoelectron Spectroscopy ◽  
Thermal Contact ◽  
Thermal Interface Material ◽  
Thermal Interface Materials ◽  
Thermal Interface ◽  
Thermal Interface Resistance ◽  
Further Development ◽  
Interface Materials

As feature density increases within microelectronics, so does the dissipated power density, which puts an increased demand on thermal management. Thermal interface materials (TIMs) are used at the interface between contacting surfaces to reduce the thermal resistance, and is a critical component within many electronics systems. Arrays of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have gained significant interest for application as TIMs, due to the high thermal conductivity, no internal thermal contact resistances and an excellent conformability. While studies show excellent thermal performance, there has to date been no investigation into the reliability of CNT array TIMs. In this study, CNT array TIMs bonded with polymer to close a Si-Cu interface were subjected to thermal cycling. Thermal interface resistance measurements showed a large degradation of the thermal performance of the interface within the first 100 cycles. More detailed thermal investigation of the interface components showed that the connection between CNTs and catalyst substrate degrades during thermal cycling even in the absence of thermal expansion mismatch, and the nature of this degradation was further analyzed using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. This study indicates that the reliability will be an important consideration for further development and commercialization of CNT array TIMs.

Mechanical Characterization of Thermal Interface Materials and Its Challenges

2019 ◽  
Vol 141 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Vijay Subramanian ◽  
Jorge Sanchez ◽  
Joseph Bautista ◽  
Yi He ◽  
Jinlin Wang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Conductivity ◽  
Polymer Matrix ◽  
Thermal Performance ◽  
Mechanical Characterization ◽  
Thermal Interface Materials ◽  
Thermal Interface ◽  
Compression Set ◽  
Thermal Solution ◽  
Interface Materials

Thermal interface materials (TIMs) play a vital role in the performance of electronic packages by enabling improved heat dissipation. These materials typically have high thermal conductivity and are designed to offer a lower thermal resistance path for efficient heat transfer. For some semiconductor components, thermal solutions are attached directly to the bare silicon die using TIM materials, while other components use an integrated heat spreader (IHS) attached on top of the die(s) and the thermal solution attached on top of the IHS. For cases with an IHS, two TIM materials are used—TIM1 is applied between the silicon die and IHS and TIM2 is used between IHS and thermal solution. TIM materials are usually comprised of a polymer matrix with thermally conductive fillers such as silica, aluminum, alumina, boron nitride, zinc oxide, etc. The polymer matrix wets the contact surface to lower the contact resistance, while the fillers help reduce the bulk resistance by increasing the bulk thermal conductivity. TIM thickness varies by application but is typically between 25 μm and around 250 μm. Selection of appropriate TIM1 and TIM2 materials is necessary for the reliable thermal performance of a product over its life and end-use conditions. It has been observed that during reliability testing, TIM materials are prone to degradation which in turn leads to a reduction in the thermal performance of the product. Typical material degradation is in the form of hardening, compression set, interfacial delamination, voiding, or excessive bleed-out. Therefore, in order to identify viable TIM materials, characterization of the thermomechanical behavior of these materials becomes important. However, developing effective metrologies for TIM characterization is difficult for two reasons: TIM materials are very soft, and the sample thickness is very small. Therefore, a well-designed test setup and a repeatable sample preparation and test procedure are needed to overcome these challenges and to obtain reliable data. In this paper, we will share some of the TIM characterization techniques developed for TIM material down-selection. The focus will be on mechanical characterization of TIM materials—including modulus, compression set, coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE), adhesion strength, and pump-out/bleed-out measurement techniques. Also, results from several TIM formulations, such as polymer TIMs and thermal gap pads, will be shared.

Durability of Low Melt Alloys as Thermal Interface Materials

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chandan K. Roy ◽  
Daniel K. Harris ◽  
Sushil Bhavnani ◽  
Michael C. Hamilton ◽  
Wayne Johnson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Performance ◽  
Performance Testing ◽  
Thermal Interface Material ◽  
Thermal Interface Materials ◽  
Thermal Interface ◽  
Accelerated Life ◽  
Extended Aging ◽  
Interface Materials ◽  
Substrate Alloy

This paper focuses on developing a reliable thermal interface material (TIM) using low melt alloys (LMAs) containing gallium (Ga), indium (In), bismuth (Bi), and tin (Sn). The investigation described herein involved the in situ thermal performance of the LMAs as well as performance evaluation after accelerated life cycle testing, which included isothermal aging at 130°C and thermal cycling from −40°C to 80°C. Three alloys (75.5Ga &24.5In, 100Ga, and 51In, 32.5Bi &16.5Sn) were chosen for testing the thermal performance. Testing methodologies used follow ASTM D5470 protocols and the results are compared with some commercially available TIMs. The LMAs-substrate interaction was investigated by applying the alloys using different surface treatments (copper and tungsten). Measurements show that the alloys did survive extended aging and cycling depending upon the substrate-alloy combinations.

Dynamic Characterization of Thermal Interface Material for Electronic Cooling

2003 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rocky Shih ◽  
Cullen E. Bash
Keyword(s):  
Standardized Testing ◽  
Test System ◽  
Independent Study ◽  
Test Method ◽  
Thermal Interface Material ◽  
Thermal Interface ◽  
Automated Test ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Interface Materials

The principle of measuring thermal resistance of thermal interface material (TIM) by sandwiching the material between a hot block and cold block is well known in the industry. TIM manufacturers usually use a variation of the industrial standard ASTM D5470 test method, and subsequently provide data that is difficult for the end user to effectively utilize for product development. This paper will discuss the design and construction of an automated TIM test system based on the ASTM D5470 standard. This automated test vehicle provides an independent study of various TIMs. The instrument enables standardized testing and performance documentation of interface materials from a wide array of manufacturers making it easier for end-users to compare and select the appropriate material for various applications. The automated test method is faster and easier to use than previous methods. It requires minimal operator intervention during the test and can perform preconditioning, and non-uniform heating if required. Experimental results obtained from the instrument will be discussed.

scholarly journals Noncured Graphene Thermal Interface Materials for High-Power Electronics: Minimizing the Thermal Contact Resistance

Nanomaterials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. 1699
Author(s):  
Sriharsha Sudhindra ◽  
Fariborz Kargar ◽  
Alexander A. Balandin
Keyword(s):  
Contact Resistance ◽  
High Power ◽  
Thermal Contact Resistance ◽  
Thermal Contact ◽  
Wide Band ◽  
Thermal Interface Material ◽  
Thermal Interface Materials ◽  
Total Thermal Resistance ◽  
Thermal Interface ◽  
Interface Materials

We report on experimental investigation of thermal contact resistance, RC, of the noncuring graphene thermal interface materials with the surfaces characterized by different degree of roughness, Sq. It is found that the thermal contact resistance depends on the graphene loading, ξ, non-monotonically, achieving its minimum at the loading fraction of ξ ~15 wt %. Decreasing the surface roughness by Sq~1 μm results in approximately the factor of ×2 decrease in the thermal contact resistance for this graphene loading. The obtained dependences of the thermal conductivity, KTIM, thermal contact resistance, RC, and the total thermal resistance of the thermal interface material layer on ξ and Sq can be utilized for optimization of the loading fraction of graphene for specific materials and roughness of the connecting surfaces. Our results are important for the thermal management of high-power-density electronics implemented with diamond and other wide-band-gap semiconductors.

Characterizing Bulk Thermal Conductivity and Interface Contact Resistance Effects of Thermal Interface Materials in Electronic Cooling Applications

2003 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vadim Gektin ◽  
Sai Ankireddi ◽  
Jim Jones ◽  
Stan Pecavar ◽  
Paul Hundt
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Conductivity ◽  
Thermal Resistance ◽  
Contact Resistance ◽  
Thermal Performance ◽  
Electronic Cooling ◽  
Thermal Interface Materials ◽  
Thermal Interface ◽  
Interface Contact ◽  
Interface Materials ◽  
Bulk Thermal Conductivity

Thermal Interface Materials (TIMs) are used as thermally conducting media to carry away the heat dissipated by an energy source (e.g. active circuitry on a silicon die). Thermal properties of these interface materials, specified on vendor datasheets, are obtained under conditions that rarely, if at all, represent real life environment. As such, they do not accurately portray the material thermal performance during a field operation. Furthermore, a thermal engineer has no a priori knowledge of how large, in addition to the bulk thermal resistance, the interface contact resistances are, and, hence, how much each influences the cooling strategy. In view of these issues, there exists a need for these materials/interfaces to be characterized experimentally through a series of controlled tests before starting on a thermal design. In this study we present one such characterization for a candidate thermal interface material used in an electronic cooling application. In a controlled test environment, package junction-to-case, Rjc, resistance measurements were obtained for various bondline thicknesses (BLTs) of an interface material over a range of die sizes. These measurements were then curve-fitted to obtain numerical models for the measured thermal resistance for a given die size. Based on the BLT and the associated thermal resistance, the bulk thermal conductivity of the TIM and the interface contact resistance were determined, using the approach described in the paper. The results of this study permit sensitivity analyses of BLT and its effect on thermal performance for future applications, and provide the ability to extrapolate the results obtained for the given die size to a different die size. The suggested methodology presents a readily adaptable approach for the characterization of TIMs and interface/contact resistances in the industry.

Characterization of a Liquid-Metal Micro Droplets Thermal Interface Material

2010 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amer M. Hamdan ◽  
Aric R. McLanahan ◽  
Robert F. Richards ◽  
Cecilia D. Richards
Keyword(s):  
Liquid Metal ◽  
Thermal Resistance ◽  
Contact Resistance ◽  
Applied Load ◽  
Thermal Interface Material ◽  
Thermal Interface ◽  
Interface Resistance ◽  
Thermal Interface Resistance ◽  
Droplet Array

This work presents the characterization of a thermal interface material consisting of an array of mercury micro droplets deposited on a silicon die. Three arrays were tested, a 40 × 40 array (1600 grid) and two 20 × 20 arrays (400 grid). All arrays were assembled on a 4 × 4 mm2 silicon die. An experimental facility which measures the thermal resistance across the mercury array under steady state conditions is described. The thermal interface resistance of the arrays was characterized as a function of the applied load. A thermal interface resistance as low as 0.253 mm2 K W−1 was measured. A model to predict the thermal resistance of a liquid-metal micro droplet array was developed and compared to the experimental results. The model predicts the deformation of the droplet array under an applied load and then the geometry of the deformed droplets is used to predict the thermal resistance of the array. The contact resistance of the mercury arrays was estimated based on the experimental and model data. An average contact resistance was estimated to be 0.14 mm2 K W−1.

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