DOUBLE SIDED HEAT SINK WITH MICROCHANNEL COOLING

• US 20070215325A1
• Filed: 03/29/2007
• Published: 09/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Solovitz, Stephen, Kern, John
• Application Number:
  US11/693,255
• Publication Number:
  US 20070215325A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 165/80.400
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/32225 the item being non-metallic, e.g. insulating substrate with or without metallisation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/473 by flowing liquids H01L23/4332, H01L23/4338 take precedence
• 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 2924/1305 Bipolar Junction Transistor [BJT]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/13055 Insulated gate bipolar transistor [IGBT]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/13091 Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistor [MOSFET]

Abstract

An apparatus for cooling at least two heated surfaces includes a base plate defining multiple upper and lower supply manifolds and upper and lower exhaust manifolds. The upper and lower supply (exhaust) manifolds receive (exhaust) coolant, and the upper (lower) supply and exhaust manifolds are interleaved. The apparatus further includes an upper substrate having an inner surface and an outer surface. The inner surface is coupled to the base plate and defines multiple microchannels for receiving and exhausting coolant. The outer surface is in thermal contact with one of the heated surfaces. The apparatus further includes a lower substrate having an inner surface and an outer surface. The inner surface is coupled to the base plate and defines multiple microchannels for receiving and delivering coolant. The outer surface is in thermal contact with another of the heated surfaces. The apparatus further includes a supply plenum and an exhaust plenum oriented in a plane of the base plate.

Claims

1. An apparatus for cooling at least two heated surfaces, said apparatus comprising:

a base plate defining a plurality of upper supply manifolds, a plurality of upper exhaust manifolds, a plurality of lower supply manifolds and a plurality of lower exhaust manifolds, wherein said upper and lower supply manifolds are configured to receive a coolant, wherein said upper and lower exhaust manifolds are configured to exhaust the coolant, wherein said upper supply and exhaust manifolds are interleaved, and wherein said lower supply and exhaust manifolds are interleaved;

an upper substrate having an inner surface and an outer surface, wherein said inner surface is coupled to said base plate, wherein said inner surface defines a plurality of microchannels configured to receive the coolant from said upper supply manifolds and to deliver the coolant to said upper exhaust manifolds, wherein said microchannels are oriented substantially perpendicular to said upper supply and exhaust manifolds, and wherein said outer surface is in thermal contact with one of the heated surfaces;

a lower substrate having an inner surface and an outer surface, wherein said inner surface is coupled to said base plate, wherein said inner surface defines a plurality of microchannels configured to receive the coolant from said lower supply manifolds and to deliver the coolant to said lower exhaust manifolds, wherein said microchannels are oriented substantially perpendicular to said lower supply and exhaust manifolds, and wherein said outer surface is in thermal contact with another of the heated surfaces;

a supply plenum configured to supply the coolant to said upper and lower supply manifolds; and

an exhaust plenum configured to exhaust the coolant from said upper and lower exhaust manifolds, wherein said supply plenum and said exhaust plenum are oriented in a plane of said base plate.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said microchannels are about 100 μ

m wide, and wherein said gaps are about 100 μ

m.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of said upper and lower supply manifolds is tapered such that a cross-section of the respective upper or lower supply manifold is larger at said supply plenum than at said exhaust plenum.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein each of said upper and lower supply manifolds extends from said supply plenum and is oriented substantially perpendicular to said supply plenum.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of said upper and lower exhaust manifolds is tapered such that a cross-section of the respective upper or lower exhaust manifold is larger at said exhaust plenum than at said supply plenum.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein each of said upper and lower exhaust manifolds extends from said exhaust plenum and is oriented substantially perpendicular to said exhaust plenum.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a number of said upper supply manifolds and a number of said upper exhaust manifolds differ by one, and wherein a number of said lower supply manifolds and a number of said lower exhaust manifolds differ by one.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said upper supply manifolds are aligned with one of said lower exhaust and supply manifolds, and wherein said upper exhaust manifolds are aligned with the other of said lower exhaust and supply manifolds.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said upper and lower supply manifolds are offset, and wherein said upper and lower exhaust manifolds are offset.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said base plate comprises a thermally conductive material.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein each of said upper and lower substrates comprises at least one thermally conductive material.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein each of said upper and lower substrates comprises at least one electrically isolating material.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein at least one of said upper and lower substrates comprises a direct bonded copper structure.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein at least one of said upper and lower substrates comprises an active metal braze (AMB) structure.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said upper substrate comprises a top layer, an insulating layer and an inner layer, wherein said microchannels are formed in said inner layer, wherein said insulating layer is disposed between said top layer and said inner layer, wherein said inner layer is attached to said base plate, and wherein said top layer is coupled to one of the heated surfaces, and

wherein said lower substrate comprises a bottom layer, a second insulating layer and a second inner layer, wherein said microchannels are formed in said second inner layer, wherein said second insulating layer is disposed between said bottom layer and said second inner layer, wherein said second inner layer is attached to said base plate, and wherein said bottom layer is coupled to another of the heated surfaces.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said upper substrate comprises a top layer and an insulating microchannel layer, wherein said microchannels are formed in said insulating microchannel layer, wherein said insulating microchannel layer is disposed between said top layer and said base plate, and wherein said top layer is coupled to one of the heated surfaces,

wherein said lower substrate comprises a bottom layer and an insulating microchannel layer, wherein said microchannels are formed in said insulating microchannel layer, wherein said insulating microchannel layer is disposed between said bottom layer and said base plate, and wherein said bottom layer is coupled to another of the heated surfaces.

17. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said upper substrate comprises an inner layer, wherein said microchannels are formed in and extend partially through said inner layer,

wherein said lower substrate comprises a second inner layer, wherein said microchannels are formed in and extend partially through said inner layer.

18. The heat sink of claim 17, wherein said microchannels extend through the respective ones of said inner layers, and wherein said microchannels are less than about 200 μ

m wide and are separated by a plurality of gaps of less than about 200 μ

m.

19. An apparatus for cooling at least two heated surfaces, said apparatus comprising:

a base plate defining a plurality of upper supply manifolds, a plurality of upper exhaust manifolds, a plurality of lower supply manifolds and a plurality of lower exhaust manifolds, wherein said upper and lower supply manifolds are configured to receive a coolant, wherein said upper and lower exhaust manifolds are configured to exhaust the coolant, wherein said upper supply and exhaust manifolds are interleaved, and wherein said lower supply and exhaust manifolds are interleaved;

an upper substrate comprising a top layer, an insulating layer and an inner layer, wherein said inner layer defines a plurality of microchannels configured to receive the coolant from said upper supply manifolds and to deliver the coolant to said upper exhaust manifolds, wherein said microchannels are oriented substantially perpendicular to said upper supply and exhaust manifolds, wherein said insulating layer is disposed between said top layer and said inner layer, wherein said inner layer is coupled to said base plate, and wherein said top layer is in thermal contact with one of the heated surfaces;

a lower substrate comprising a bottom layer, a second insulating layer and a second inner layer, wherein said second inner layer defines a plurality of microchannels configured to receive the coolant from said lower supply manifolds and to deliver the coolant to said lower exhaust manifolds, wherein said microchannels are oriented substantially perpendicular to said lower supply and exhaust manifolds, wherein said second insulating layer is disposed between said bottom layer and said second inner layer, wherein said second inner layer is coupled to said base plate, and wherein said bottom layer is in thermal contact with another of the heated surfaces;

a supply plenum configured to supply the coolant to said upper and lower supply manifolds; and

an exhaust plenum configured to exhaust the coolant from said upper and lower exhaust manifolds, wherein said supply plenum and said exhaust plenum are oriented in a plane of said base plate.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein said microchannels extend through respective ones of said inner layers.

21. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein said top and bottom layers and said inner layers comprise copper, and wherein said insulating layers comprise a ceramic.

22. An apparatus for cooling at least two heated surfaces, said apparatus comprising:

a base plate defining a plurality of upper supply manifolds, a plurality of upper exhaust manifolds, a plurality of lower supply manifolds and a plurality of lower exhaust manifolds, wherein said upper and lower supply manifolds are configured to receive a coolant, wherein said upper and lower exhaust manifolds are configured to exhaust the coolant, wherein said upper supply and exhaust manifolds are interleaved, and wherein said lower supply and exhaust manifolds are interleaved;

an upper substrate comprising a top layer and an insulating microchannel layer, wherein said insulating microchannel layer defines a plurality of microchannels configured to receive the coolant from said upper supply manifolds and to deliver the coolant to said upper exhaust manifolds, wherein said microchannels are oriented substantially perpendicular to said upper supply and exhaust manifolds, wherein said insulating microchannel layer is disposed between said top layer and said base plate, and wherein said top layer is thermally coupled to one of the heated surfaces,

a lower substrate comprising a bottom layer and an insulating microchannel layer, wherein said insulating microchannel layer defines a plurality of microchannels configured to receive the coolant from said lower supply manifolds and to deliver the coolant to said lower exhaust manifolds, wherein said microchannels are oriented substantially perpendicular to said lower supply and exhaust manifolds, wherein said insulating microchannel layer is disposed between said bottom layer and said base plate, and wherein said bottom layer is thermally coupled to another of the heated surfaces;

a supply plenum configured to supply the coolant to said upper and lower supply manifolds; and

an exhaust plenum configured to exhaust the coolant from said upper and lower exhaust manifolds, wherein said supply plenum and said exhaust plenum are oriented in a plane of said base plate.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein said upper substrate further comprises a lower layer disposed between and attached to said insulating microchannel layer and said base plate, and

wherein said lower substrate further comprises an upper layer disposed between and attached to said insulating microchannel layer and said base plate.