Electronic assembly and cooling thereof

• US 6,377,457 B1
• Filed: 09/13/2000
• Issued: 04/23/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Volckaert, Yves André, Seshan, Krishna, Ghosh, Prosenjit
• Primary Examiner(s): Picard, Leo P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHERVINSKY, BORIS LEO
• Application Number:
  US09/660,859
• Time in Patent Office: 587 Days
• Field of Search: 361/689, 361/690, 361/694, 361/695, 361/698, 361/699, 361/701, 361/702, 361/704, 361/795, 257/714, 257/715, 174/15.1, 174/16.1, 174/16.3, 165/80.2, 165/80.3, 165/80.4, 165/104.33, 165/177, 165/180
• US Class Current: 361/690
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/467 by flowing gases, e.g. air H01L23/473 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/49822 Multilayer substrates multilayer metallisation on monolayer substrate H01L23/498
• 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: H05K 1/0272 Adaptations for fluid transport, e.g. channels, holes

Abstract

An electronic assembly is provided. An electronic substrate of the assembly has a plurality of conductive lines to transmit signals, and a cooling opening therethrough. The cooling opening has an inlet to allow fluid into the electronic substrate, a section in the electronic substrate through which the fluid flows from the inlet, and an outlet from which the fluid flows from the section out of the electronic substrate. A semiconductor die of the assembly is mounted to the electronic substrate. The die has an electronic circuit connected to the metal lines so that signals are transmitted between the electronic circuit and the metal lines, operation of the electronic circuit causing heating of the die, heat being transferred from the die to the electronic substrate from where heat is transferred to the fluid flowing through the section.

Claims

1. An electronic assembly comprising:

an electronic substrate having upper and lower surfaces, a plurality of metal lines therein to transmit signals, a plurality of contact pads on the upper surface thereof and electrically connected to the conductive lines, and a cooling opening therethrough, the cooling opening having an inlet to allow fluid into the electronic substrate, a section in the electronic substrate through which the fluid flows from the inlet, and an outlet from which the fluid flows from the section out of the electronic substrate; and

a semiconductor assembly mounted on top of the electronic substrate, the semiconductor assembly having upper and lower surfaces, a semiconductor die having an electronic circuit, and a plurality of electric contacts on the lower surface thereof, the electronic circuit being connected through the electric contacts and the contact pads to the metal lines so that signals are transmitted between the electronic circuit and the metal lines, operation of the electronic circuit causing heating of the semiconductor die, heat being transferred from the semiconductor die through the contact pads and the electric contacts to the electronic substrate from where heat is transferred to the fluid flowing through the section.

2. The electronic assembly of claim 1 wherein the section extends substantially in a plane in which the electronic substrate extends.

3. The electronic assembly of claim 1 wherein the electronic substrate has a plurality of said cooling openings therethrough.

4. The electronic assembly of claim 3 wherein the cooling openings extend substantially in a common direction.

5. The electronic assembly of claim 3 wherein a first plurality of the openings are located in one plane and a second plurality of the openings are located in another plane that is different from the plane of the first plurality of openings.

6. The electronic assembly of claim 5 wherein the first and second pluralities of openings extend in substantially a common direction.

7. The electronic assembly of claim 5 wherein the first plurality of openings extend in one direction and the second plurality of openings extend in another direction transverse to the first plurality of openings.

8. The electronic assembly of claim 7 wherein a third plurality of the openings are located in another plane that is different from the plane of the first plurality of openings and different from the plane of the second plurality of openings.

9. The electronic assembly of claim 8 wherein the plane of the second plurality of openings is located between the plane of the first plurality of openings and the plane of the third plurality of openings, and the first plurality of openings and the third plurality of openings extend substantially in a common direction.

10. The electronic assembly of claim 3 further comprising a manifold that connects the openings to one another.

11. The electronic assembly of claim 1 further comprising a fluid actuation machine, and an electric motor, the electric motor being coupled to the machine so that operation of the electric motor drives the machine and the machine moves the fluid, the machine having an outlet connected to the inlet of the cooling opening so that the fluid can flow from the machine into the cooling opening.

12. The electronic assembly of claim 11 wherein the machine is one of a fan, a pump and a compressor.

13. The electronic assembly of claim 11 further comprising an inlet manifold connected to the outlet of the machine so that the fluid flows from the machine into the manifold, the electronic substrate having a plurality of said cooling openings therethrough, a respective inlet of each cooling opening being in flow communication with the manifold so that the fluid flows from the manifold into each cooling opening.

14. The electronic assembly of claim 13 further comprising an outlet manifold in flow communication with a respective outlet of each cooling opening so that the fluid can flow from the cooling openings into the outlet manifold, the machine having an inlet connected to the outlet manifold so that the fluid can flow from the outlet manifold into the machine.

15. The electronic assembly of claim 14 further comprising a radiator connected in line between the outlet manifold and the inlet manifold so that the fluid is cooled by the radiator after leaving the outlet manifold and before entering the inlet manifold.

16. The electronic assembly of claim 14 wherein the machine is a pump.

17. The electronic assembly of claim 1 further comprising a package substrate, the die being mounted to the package substrate and the package substrate being mounted to the electronic substrate.

18. An electronic assembly comprising:

a fluid actuation machine;

an electric motor coupled to the machine so that operation of the electric motor drives the machine and the machine moves fluid through an outlet thereof;

a manifold in flow communication with the outlet of the machine so that the fluid flows from the outlet of the machine into the manifold;

an electronic substrate having upper and lower surfaces, a plurality of cooling openings therein, each cooling opening being in flow communication with the manifold so that the fluid flows from the manifold into each cooling opening, each cooling opening having a section in the substrate through which the fluid flows, whereafter the fluid flows out of the substrate, the electronic substrate further having a plurality of metal lines therein to transmit signals, and a plurality of contact pads on the lower surface thereof and electrically connected to the metal lines; and

a semiconductor assembly mounted on top of the electronic substrate, the semiconductor assembly having upper and lower surfaces, a semiconductor die having an electronic circuit, and a plurality of electric contacts on the lower surface thereof, the electronic circuit being connected through the electronic contacts and the contact pads to the metal lines so that signals are transmitted between the electronic circuit and the metal lines, operation of the electronic circuit causing heating of the semiconductor die, heat being transferred from the semiconductor die through the contact pads and the electric contacts to the electronic substrate from where heat is transferred to the fluid flowing through each section.

19. The electronic assembly of claim 18 wherein the manifold is separately manufactured from the electronic substrate and mounted to the electronic substrate.

20. An electronic assembly comprising:

an electronic substrate having two opposing major surfaces two opposing side surfaces, each extending between the major surfaces, and two opposing end surfaces, each extending between the major surfaces, a plurality of metal lines to transmit signals, a first plurality of cooling openings located in one plane in the substrate and extending from the one side surface towards the other side surface and being open at opposing ends so that a fluid can enter into one end thereof and exit from an opposing end thereof, and a second plurality of cooling openings in one plane in the substrate being different to the plane of the first plurality of cooling openings, each extending from the one end surface towards the other end surface and being open at opposing ends so that a fluid can enter into one end thereof and exit from an opposing end thereof wherein each one of the first plurality of cooling openings has an inlet into one of the side surfaces and an outlet through the other side surface, and each one of the second plurality of cooling openings has an inlet into one of the end surfaces and an outlet through the other end surface; and

a semiconductor die mounted to the electronic substrate, the die having an electronic circuit connected to the metal lines so that signals are transmitted between the electronic circuit and the metal lines, operation of the electronic circuit causing heating of the die, heat being transferred from the die to the electronic substrate from where heat is transferred to the fluid flowing through the first plurality of cooling openings and the fluid flowing through the second plurality of cooling openings.