Thermal interface material

• US 20050072334A1
• Filed: 10/07/2003
• Published: 04/07/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics Corporation (Compagnie De Saint-Gobain)
• Original Assignee: Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics, Inc. (Compagnie de Saint-Gobain SA)
• Inventors: Segal, Jay, Czubarow, Pawel
• Application Number:
  US10/681,040
• Publication Number:
  US 20050072334A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 106/270
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 5/063 Materials absorbing or liberating heat during crystallisation; Heat storage materials
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 20/02 using latent heat
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 13/00 Arrangements for modifying heat-transfer, e.g. increasing, decreasing F28F1/00 - F28F11/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 2013/006 Heat conductive materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/3737 Organic materials with or without a thermoconductive filler
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/4275 by melting or evaporation of solids
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/3011 Impedance
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/25 Web or sheet containing structurally defined element or component and including a second component containing structurally defined particles

Abstract

A thermal interface material is disclosed, including a polymer component, a phase component mixed with the polymer component, and a surfactant mixed with the component and the phase change component. The thermal interface material in the form of a tape, being adhered or bonded to a conductive film

Claims

1. A thermal interface material comprising:

a polymer component;

a phase change component mixed with the polymer component; and

a surfactant mixed with the polymer component and the phase change component.

2. The thermal interface material of claim 1, wherein the phase change component comprises a phase change wax.

3. The thermal interface material of claim 2, wherein the phase change wax comprises hydroxylated wax.

4. The thermal interface material of claim 2, wherein the phase change wax comprises between about 5% and 50% by weight of the thermal interface material.

5. The thermal interface material of claim 2, wherein the phase change wax comprises between about 10% and 35% by weight of the thermal interface material.

6. The thermal interface material of claim 1, wherein the phase change component is adapted to soften within a temperature range of 30°

C. to 120°

C.

7. The thermal interface material of claim 1, wherein the polymer component comprises acrylic.

8. The thermal interface material of claim 1, wherein the polymer component comprises between about 5% and 25% by weight of the thermal interface material.

9. The thermal interface material of claim 1, wherein the polymer component comprises between about 9% and 23% by weight of the thermal interface material.

10. The thermal interface material of claim 1, further comprises a particulate thermally conductive filler.

11. The thermal interface material of claim 10, wherein the thermally conductive filler comprises boron nitride.

12. The thermal interface material of claim 10, wherein the thermally conductive filler comprises between about 10% and 50% by weight of the thermal interface material.

13. The thermal interface material of claim 10, wherein the thermally conductive filler comprises between about 20% and 35% by weight of the thermal interface material.

14. The thermal interface material of claim 1, wherein the surfactant is non-ionic or ionic.

15. The thermal interface material of claim 1, wherein the surfactant comprises a non-ionic surfactant.

16. The thermal interface material of claim 15, wherein the non-ionic surfactant is derived from alkanolamide.

17. The thermal interface material of claim 15, wherein the non-ionic surfactant is derived from cocamide.

18. The thermal interface material of claim 15, wherein the non-ionic surfactant is derived from glycerin.

19. The thermal interface material of claim 1, wherein the surfactant comprises between about 1% to 50% by weight of the thermal interface material.

20. The thermal interface material of claim 1, wherein the surfactant comprises between about 3% to 30% by weight of the thermal interface material.

21. The thermal interface material of claim 1, wherein the polymer is an adhesive.

22. The thermal interface material of claim 21, wherein the adhesive is a pressure sensitive adhesive.

23. The thermal interface material of claim 21, wherein the adhesive comprises acrylate.

24. The thermal interface material of claim 21, wherein the adhesive comprises silicone.

25. A thermal interface material comprising a surfactant and a phase change wax.

26. The thermal interface material of claim 25, wherein the phase change wax comprises between about 5% and 50% by weight of the thermal interface material.

27. The thermal interface material of claim 25, further comprising a polymer component.

28. The thermal interface material of claim 27, wherein the polymer is an adhesive.

29. The thermal interface material of claim 27, wherein the polymer component comprises between about 5% and 25% by weight of the thermal interface material.

30. The thermal interface material of claim 25, further comprising a particulate thermally conductive filler.

31. The thermal interface material of claim 30, wherein the thermally conductive filler comprises between about 10% and 50% by weight of the thermal interface material.

32. The thermal interface material of claim 25, wherein the surfactant comprises a non-ionic surfactant.

33. The thermal interface material of claim 32, wherein the non-ionic surfactant is derived from alkanolamide.

34. The thermal interface material of claim 32, wherein the non-ionic surfactant is derived from glycerin.

35. The thermal interface material of claim 25, wherein the surfactant comprises between about 1% to 50% by weight of the thermal interface material.

36. A thermal interface tape comprising:

a first layer comprising a conductive film; and

a second layer comprising a thermal interface material comprising a surfactant and a phase change component.

37. The tape of claim 36, wherein the surfactant comprises a non-ionic surfactant.

38. The tape of claim 36, wherein the surfactant is derived from alkanolamide.

39. The tape of claim 36, wherein the surfactant is derived from glycerin.

40. The tape of claim 36, wherein the thermal interface material comprises a thermally conductive filler.

41. The tape of claim 36, wherein the second layer is coupled to a protective barrier.

42. A microelectronic structure comprising:

an integrated circuit active device;

a heat sink; and

a thermal interface tape comprising a surfactant and a phase change component disposed between and coupling the integrated circuit active device and the heat sink to each other.

43. The semiconductor apparatus of claim 42, wherein the surfactant comprises a non-ionic surfactant.

44. A method of assembling an electronic device, the method comprising:

coupling a heat source and a heat sink to each other using a thermal interface tape disposed between the heat source and the heat sink, the thermal interface tape comprising a surfactant and a phase change component.

45. The method of claim 44, wherein the surfactant comprises a non-ionic surfactant.

46. The method of claim 44, wherein the heat source is a semiconductor article.

47. The method of claim 44, wherein the heat source is a power electronic device.

48. The method of claim 47, wherein the power electronic device is a transistor or a diode.

49. The method of claim 44, wherein the thermal interface material further comprises a thermally conductive filler.

50. A thermal interface tape comprising at least one layer, the at least one layer comprising a thermal interface material having a wetting angle of not more than about 80 degrees and a thermal impedance of no more than about 0.115°

C. in²/W, at an operating temperature.

51. A thermal interface material comprising a phase change component, a surfactant, and a thermally conductive filler, wherein the thermal impedance of the thermal interface material is ≦

0.8 x wherein x is the thermal impedance of a comparative thermal interface material having the same composition of the thermal interface material, but containing no surfactant.

52. A thermal interface tape comprising:

a first layer comprising a conductive film; and

a second layer comprising a thermal interface material coupled to the first layer, the second layer comprising a surfactant, a phase change component, a polymer, and thermally conductive filler, the thermal interface material having a wetting angle of not more than about 80 degrees and a thermal impedance of no more than about 0.115°

C. in²/W, at an operating temperature, wherein the thermal impedance of the thermal interface material is ≦

0.8 x wherein x is the thermal impedance of a comparative thermal interface material having the same composition of the thermal interface material, but containing no surfactant.