THERMAL INTERFACE MATERIAL WITH THIN TRANSFER FILM OR METALLIZATION

• US 20090117373A1
• Filed: 11/12/2007
• Published: 05/07/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Laird Technologies Incorporated (DuPont de Nemours, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Laird Technologies Incorporated (DuPont de Nemours, Inc.)
• Inventors: Strader, Jason, Wisniewski, Mark
• Granted Patent: US 8,545,987 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 428/336
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/3735 Laminates or multilayers, e.g. direct bond copper ceramic substrates
• 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 428/1476 Release layer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/265 1 mil or less
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31663 As siloxane, silicone or silane
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31678 Of metal

Abstract

According to various aspects, exemplary embodiments are provided of thermal interface material assemblies. In one exemplary embodiment, a thermal interface material assembly generally includes a thermal interface material having a first side and a second side and a metallization layer having a layer thickness of about 0.0005 inches or less. The metallization layer is disposed along at least a portion of the first side of the thermal interface material.

Claims

1. A thermal interface material assembly comprising:

a thermal interface material having a first side and a second side; and

a metallization layer having a layer thickness of about 0.0005 inches or less, the metallization layer disposed along at least a portion of the first side of the thermal interface material.

2. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the metallization layer has a layer thickness of 0.0005 inches.

3. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the metallization layer has a layer thickness less than 0.0001 inches.

4. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the metallization layer has a higher thermal conductivity than the thermal interface material, and wherein the metallization layer has less conformable than the thermal interface material.

5. The assembly of claim 1, further comprising a release liner having a release side with a release coating thereon, and wherein the metallization layer comprises metal disposed generally over the release coating on the release side of the release liner.

6. The assembly of claim 1, further comprising a release liner having a release side with a release coating thereon, and wherein the metallization layer is a metal film disposed generally over the release coating on the release side of the release liner.

7. The assembly of claim 1, further comprising a substrate supporting the metallization layer, and wherein the substrate is laminated to the thermal interface material such that the metallization layer is generally between the substrate and the first side of the thermal interface material.

8. The assembly of claim 1, further comprising:

an upper release liner including a release coating and supporting the metallization layer such that the metallization layer is generally between the release coating and the first side of the thermal interface material;

a lower release liner having a release side with a release coating thereon, the lower release liner laminated such that the release coating is generally between the lower release liner and the second side of the thermal interface material.

9. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the metallization layer comprises a layer of metal deposited directly onto the thermal interface material.

10. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the metallization layer is aluminum, tin, or copper.

11. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the thermal interface material comprises a compliable or conformable thermal interface material including one or more of a gap filler, a phase change material, putty, or a thermally conductive insulator.

12. The assembly of claim 1, further comprising a release liner having a release side siliconized to provide a release coating thereon, wherein the metallization layer comprises a metallization on the siliconized release side of the release liner, and wherein the release liner is laminated to the thermal interface material such that the metallization layer is generally between the release liner and the first side of the thermal interface material.

13. An apparatus comprising the assembly of claim 1, a heat-generating component, and a heat sink, wherein the assembly is disposed generally between the heat-generating component and the heat sink thereby a thermally-conducting heat path from the heat-generating component to the heat sink.

14. A thermal interface material assembly comprising:

a thermal interface material having a first side and a second side; and

a metallization layer having a layer thickness of about 0.0005 inches or less;

an upper release liner including a release coating and supporting the metallization layer, and being laminated to the thermal interface material such that the metallization layer is generally between the release coating and the first side of the thermal interface material;

a lower release liner including a release coating and being laminated to the thermal interface material such that the release coating is generally between the lower release liner and the second side of the thermal interface material.

16. The assembly of claim 14, wherein the upper release liner comprises a substrate having a release side siliconized to provide the release coating thereon, and wherein the metallization layer comprises a metallization on the siliconized release side of the substrate.

17. The assembly of claim 14, wherein the thermal interface material comprises a compliable or conformable thermal interface material including one or more of a gap filler, a phase change material, putty, or a thermally conductive insulator.

15. The assembly of 14, wherein the metallization layer has a layer thickness less than 0.0001 inches.

18. A method of making a thermal interface material assembly, the method comprising providing a thermal interface material with a metallization layer along at least a portion of a first side of the thermal interface material such that the metallization layer has a layer thickness of about 0.0005 inches or less.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein providing the thermal interface material with the metallization layer includes metallizing a surface portion of the thermal interface material to thereby form the metallization layer.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein providing the thermal interface material with the metallization layer includes depositing metal directly onto a surface portion of the thermal interface material or onto a surface portion of a release liner for subsequent transfer to the thermal interface material.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein depositing metal includes one or more of vapor deposition, vacuum metallization, or flash coating.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein providing the thermal interface material with the metallization layer includes laminating the thermal interface material and a substrate supporting the metallization layer such that the metallization layer is generally between the substrate and the first side of the thermal interface material.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising depositing metal onto the substrate via one or more of vapor deposition, vacuum metallization, or sputtering.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein the substrate includes a release liner having a release side siliconized to provide a release coating thereon, and wherein the metallization layer comprises metal disposed generally over the release coating.

25. The method of claim 18, wherein providing the thermal interface material with the metallization layer includes providing the thermal interface material with a metallization layer having a layer thickness of less than 0.0001 inches.

26. The method of claim 18, wherein providing the thermal interface material with the metallization layer includes casting the thermal interface material using a metallized transfer film as a liner via a solvent or non-solvent process.

27. The method of claim 18, wherein the thermal interface material comprises a phase change material, and wherein providing the thermal interface material with the metallization layer includes:

heating the phase change material to a temperature above a melting temperature of the phase change material;

extruding the molten phase change material while using a metallized transfer film as a liner.

28. The method of claim 18, wherein the thermal interface material comprises a phase change material, and wherein providing the thermal interface material with the metallization layer includes:

heating the phase change material to a temperature above a melting temperature of the phase change material;

heating a lamination nip and a table;

placing one of a release liner or a metallized transfer film on the heated table;

spreading the heated molten phase change material generally across a width of at least one edge of said one of the release liner or metallized transfer film that was placed on the heated table;

placing the other one of said release liner and metallized transfer film on the phase change material such that the phase change material is generally between the release liner and metallized transfer film;

drawing the release liner, phase change material, and metallized transfer film through the heated lamination nip and allowing the phase change material to flow laterally and coat the metallized transfer film and release liner; and

allowing the release liner, phase change material, and metallized transfer film to cool to room temperature.

29. A method associated with heat transfer from a heat-generating component, the method comprising installing a thermal interface material assembly generally between a surface of the heat-generating component and a surface of a heat sink to thereby establish a thermally conducting heat path from the heat-generating component to the heat sink, the assembly including a thermal interface material and a metallization layer having a layer thickness of about 0.0005 inches or less disposed along at least a portion of the thermal interface material.