Electronic assembly having solder thermal interface between a die substrate and a heat spreader

• US 6,817,091 B2
• Filed: 07/22/2002
• Issued: 11/16/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Fitzgerald, Thomas J., Hua, Fay, Deppisch, Carl L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Arbes, Carl J.
• Application Number:
  US10/200,807
• Publication Number:
  US 20030090875A1
• Time in Patent Office: 848 Days
• Field of Search: 298/25, 298/30, 298/32, 298/40, 165/185, 228/180.1, 228/180.22, 257/772
• US Class Current: 29/840
• 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 23/3675 characterised by the shape of the housing
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/16251 Connecting to an item not being a semiconductor or solid-state body, e.g. cap-to-substrate
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49117 Conductor or circuit manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49126 Assembling bases
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4913 Assembling to base an electrical component, e.g., capacitor, etc.
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49144 by metal fusion

Abstract

An electronic assembly is provided having a die, a heat spreader, and a solidified solder material. A die includes a die substrate and an integrated circuit on a bottom surface of the die substrate. The heat spreader is located above the die and has left and right inclined faces. The left inclined face tapers from a point near a center of the die to a point upward and to the left of the upper surface. The right inclined face tapers from a point near the center upward and to the right above the upper surface. A solidified solder material fills regions between the upper surface and the inclined faces of the lower surface.

Claims

1. A method of constructing an electronic assembly, comprising:

locating a preform of solder material between a heat spreader and a surface of a die substrate having an integrated circuit on an opposing surface thereof and a fluxing agent between the heat spreader and the preform;

heating the preform so that the solder material melts, the fluxing agent vaporizing when heated;

moving the heat spreader and the die substrate toward one another, vapor of the fluxing agent being moved laterally relative to movement of the heat spreader and the die substrate toward one another;

halting movement of the heat spreader and the die substrate relative to one another whereafter the solder material is wider between the heat spreader and a region near an edge of the die substrate than between the heat spreader and a region near a center of the die; and

allowing the solder material to cool so that it solidifies.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the solder material flows in a direction from the edge toward the center when the solder material is allowed to cool.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein a cavity forms in a region of the solder material at a location near the edge when the solder is allowed to cool.

4. A method of constructing an electronic assembly, comprising:

locating a preform of solder material between a heat spreader and a surface of a die substrate having an integrated circuit on an opposing surface thereof;

heating the preform so that the solder material melts;

moving the heat spreader and the die substrate toward one another;

halting movement of the heat spreader and the die substrate relative to one another before the heat spreader contacts the die substrate, whereafter the solder material is wider between the heat spreader and a region near an edge of the die substrate than between the heat spreader and a region near a center of the die; and

allowing the solder material to cool so that it solidifies.

5. A method of constructing an electronic assembly, comprising:

locating a preform of solder material having a thickness of between 100 and 200 microns between a heat spreader and a surface of a die substrate having an integrated circuit on an opposing surface thereof;

heating the preform so that the solder material melts;

moving the heat spreader and the die substrate toward one another;

halting movement of the heat spreader and the die substrate relative to one another whereafter the solder material is wider between the heat spreader and a region near an edge of the die substrate than between the heat spreader and a region near a center of the die; and

allowing the solder material to cool so that it solidifies.

6. A method of constructing an electronic assembly, comprising:

locating a preform of solder material between a heat spreader and a surface of a die substrate having an integrated circuit on an opposing surface thereof;

heating the preform so that the solder material melts;

moving the heat spreader and the die substrate toward one another;

halting movement of the heat spreader and the die substrate relative to one another whereafter the solder material is wider between the heat spreader and a region near an edge of the die substrate than between the heat spreader and a region near a center of the die due to the heat spreader being thicker near the center region than the edge of the die; and

allowing the solder material to cool so that it solidifies.

7. A method of constructing an electronic assembly, comprising:

locating a preform of solder material between a heat spreader having a formation which is the frustum of a pyramid and a surface of a die substrate having an integrated circuit on an opposing surface thereof;

heating the preform so that the solder material melts;

moving the heat spreader and the die substrate toward one another;

halting movement of the heat spreader and the die substrate relative to one another whereafter the solder material is wider between the heat spreader and a region near an edge of the die substrate than between the heat spreader and a region near a center of the die due to the formation; and

allowing the solder material to cool so that it solidifies.