Integrated junction temperature sensor/package design and method of implementing same

• US 5,831,333 A
• Filed: 05/14/1996
• Issued: 11/03/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Oracle America, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sun Microsystems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Malladi, Deviprasad, Forehand, Douglas W.
• Primary Examiner(s): OSTROWSKI, DAVID M
• Application Number:
  US08/645,998
• Time in Patent Office: 903 Days
• Field of Search: 257/712, 257/713, 257/467, 361/717, 361/718, 361/719, 165/80.2
• US Class Current: 257/712
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/16225 the item being non-metallic, e.g. insulating substrate with or without metallisation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/73253 Bump and layer connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/34 Arrangements for cooling, heating, ventilating or temperature compensation ; Temperature sensing arrangements thermal treatment apparatus H01L21/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/32 of an individual layer connector
• 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 2924/14 Integrated circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/15311 being a ball array, e.g. BGA

Abstract

A structure and method for controlling the junction temperature of a semiconductor chip in an electronic system. A temperature sensing device and the chip whose junction temperature is to be monitored are located adjacent to one another on the same interconnect structure. A thermally conductive lid can also be attached to the interconnect structure, thereby enclosing the temperature sensing device and the chip within in a closed cavity. Dedicated pins extend from the temperature sensing device through the interconnect structure, for connection to a temperature control circuit. By locating the temperature sensing device on the same interconnect structure as the chip, and within a common enclosure, the temperature sensed by the temperature sensing device is an accurate representation of the actual junction temperature of the chip. By obtaining an improved reading of the actual junction temperature, the operation of the temperature control circuit can be optimized.

Claims

1. An integrated circuit device comprising:

and interconnect structure;

a semiconductor chip which exhibits a junction temperature, the semiconductor ship being mounted on a first surface of the interconnect structure;

a temperature sensing device mounted on the first surface of the interconnect structure, wherein the temperature which is proportional to the junction temperature of the semiconductor chip; and

a thermally conductive lid connected to the interconnect structure, wherein the thermally conductive lid and the interconnect structure form a closed cavity which contains the semiconductor chip and the temperature sensing device, wherein the semiconductor chip is connected to the thermally conductive lid, and wherein the temperature sensing device is not connected to the thermally conductive lid and further wherein said first temperature is a temperature within said closed cavity.

2. The integrated circuit device of claim 1, further comprising a thermally conductive adhesive connecting the semiconductor chip to the thermally conductive lid.

3. The integrated circuit device of claim 1, further comprising a heat sink coupled to the thermally conductive lid.

4. The integrated circuit device of claim 1, further comprising:

connector leads extending through the interconnect structure and connecting to the temperature sensing device, wherein the connector leads are adapted to connect the temperature sensing device to a cooling component which controls the junction temperature of the semiconductor chip.

5. The integrated circuit device of claim 4, wherein the connector leads comprise a pair of dedicated pins which extend through the interconnect structure.

6. The integrated circuit device of claim 4, wherein the connector leads extend to a second surface of the interconnect structure, the integrated circuit device further comprising an array of solder balls located at the second surface of the interconnect structure, wherein the connector leads are connected to corresponding solder balls of the array of solder balls.

7. The integrated circuit device of claim 4, wherein the cooling component comprises a fan.

8. The integrated circuit device of claim 4, wherein the cooling component comprises a heat pipe.

9. The integrated circuit device of claim 1, wherein the semiconductor chip is mounted in a flip chip configuration to the interconnect structure.

10. The integrated circuit device of claim 1, wherein the temperature sensing device comprises a thermistor.

11. The integrated circuit device of claim 1, wherein the temperature sensing device comprises a temperature sensitive diode.

12. An electronic system comprising:

an interconnect structure;

a semiconductor chip which exhibits a junction temperature, the semiconductor chip being mounted on a first surface of the interconnect structure;

a temperature sensing device mounted on the first surface of the interconnect structure, wherein the temperature sensing device is mounted to directly sense a first temperature which is proportional to the junction temperature of the semiconductor chip;

a thermally conductive lid connected to the interconnect structure,

wherein the thermally conductive lid and the interconnect structure form a closed cavity which contains the semiconductor chip and the temperature sensing device;

the semiconductor chip is connected to the thermally conductive lid;

the temperature sensing device is not connected to the thermally conductive lid; and

said first temperature is a temperature within said closed cavity; and

a cooling component which controls the junction temperature of the semiconductor ship, the cooling component being connected to the temperature sensing device and being responsive to the first temperature.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the cooling component comprises a fan.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the cooling component comprises a heat pipe.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the cooling component comprises;

a control circuit coupled to the temperature sensing device, the control circuit being responsive to the first temperature; and

a temperature controller coupled to the control circuit, wherein the temperature controller controls an ambient temperature around the semiconductor chip in response to the control circuit.

16. The system of claim 12, further comprising a plurality of connector leads extending through the interconnect structure, the connector leads connecting the temperature sensing device to the cooling component.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the plurality of connector leads comprises a pair of dedicated pins which extend through the interconnect structure.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the plurality of connector leads extend to a second surface of the interconnect structure, the system further comprising an array of solder balls located at the second surface of the interconnect structure, wherein the connector leads of the plurality of connector leads are connected to corresponding solder balls of the array of solder balls.

19. The system of claim 16, further comprising a printed circuit board, wherein the plurality of connector leads is coupled to the printed circuit board.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the printed circuit board comprises a motherboard.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the motherboard is contained in a computer.

22. A method of controlling the junction temperature of a semiconductor chip, the method comprising:

mounting the semiconductor chip on an interconnect structure;

mounting a temperature sensing device on the interconnect structure adjacent to the semiconductor chip;

mounting a thermally conductive lid on the interconnect structure, such that the thermally conductive thermally conductive lid and the interconnect structure form a closed cavity which surrounds the semiconductor chip and the temperature sensing device, wherein the semiconductor chip contacts the thermally conductive lid, and wherein the temperature sensing device does not contact the thermally conductive lid;

approximating the junction temperature of the semiconductor chip using the temperature sensing device wherein the temperature sensing device directly measures a temperature within said closed cavity; and

cooling the semiconductor chip is response to the approximated junction temperature.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein said cooling the semiconductor chip further comprises increasing air flow around the thermally conductive lid.