Method for passive phase change thermal management

• US 7,316,265 B2
• Filed: 11/17/2003
• Issued: 01/08/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Pullen, David, Searls, Damion T., Dishongh, Terrance J.
• Primary Examiner(s): DUONG, THO V
• Application Number:
  US10/716,269
• Publication Number:
  US 20050051300A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,513 Days
• Field of Search: 165/10, 165/104.14, 165/185, 165/104.33, 165/902, 165/104.15, 165/104.21, 361/698, 361/700, 257/713, 298/900.3, 298/900.45, 298/900.46, 298/900.54, 298/900.32, 220/592.01, 220/577
• US Class Current: 165/104.33
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 5/063 Materials absorbing or liberating heat during crystallisation; Heat storage materials
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 15/00 Heat-exchange apparatus with the intermediate heat-transfer medium in closed tubes passing into or through the conduit walls ; Heat-exchange apparatus employing intermediate heat-transfer medium or bodies F28D17/00, F28D19/00, F28D20/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 20/021 the latent heat storage material and the heat-exchanging means being enclosed in one container F28D20/023 - F28D20/028 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 2021/0031 Radiators for recooling a coolant of cooling systems
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 23/00 Features relating to the use of intermediate heat-exchange materials, e.g. selection of compositions heat-transfer, heat-exchange or heat-storage materials C09K5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/20 Cooling means
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/4275 by melting or evaporation of solids
• 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: Y02E 60/14 Thermal energy storage
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49353 Heat pipe device making

Abstract

In one embodiment, a method includes forming a conductive structure having a cavity, injecting a phase change material into the cavity, injecting a plurality of spheres into the cavity, and sealing the cavity.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

forming an integrated circuit heat sink including;

forming a metal conductive structure having a cavity, the cavity including a cavity surface sloping upward from a low area located at a center of the cavity surface to a side wall, the cavity surface being configured to enhance formation of convection currents within the cavity during operation of an integrated circuit, the metal conductive structure being formed with an external surface configured to thermally couple to a surface of the integrated circuit;

injecting a mixture including a phase change material and a number of particles into the cavity; and

sealing the cavity.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein forming a metal conductive structure having a cavity comprises:

forming a metal conductive structure having a cavity including a cavity surface having a plurality of ramp structures formed on the cavity surface.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein injecting a mixture including a phase change material and a number of particles into the cavity comprises:

injecting TH58 into the cavity.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein injecting a mixture including a phase change material and a number of particles into the cavity comprises:

injecting a plurality of solid spheres into the cavity.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein sealing the cavity comprises:

closing an injection hole in the metal conductive structure.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein injecting a mixture including a phase change material and a number of particles into the cavity comprises:

injecting a plurality of hollow spheres into the cavity.

7. A method comprising:

forming an integrated circuit heat sink including;

forming a metal conductive structure having a cavity and a plurality of fins on an outer surface of the metal conductive structure, the cavity including a cavity surface having a plurality of ramp structures formed on the cavity surface, the ramp structures being configured to enhance formation of convection currents within the cavity during operation of an integrated circuit, the metal conductive structure being formed with an external surface configured to thermally couple to a surface of the integrated circuit;

injecting a mixture including a phase change material and a number of particles into the cavity; and

sealing the cavity.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein forming a metal conductive structure having a cavity and a plurality of fins includes forming a substantially flat surface on the external surface of the metal conductive structure.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein forming a substantially flat surface on an external surface of the metal conductive structure includes forming the flat surface by machining.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein forming a substantially flat surface on an external surface of the metal conductive structure includes forming the flat surface having a footprint that is significantly larger than the surface area of an integrated circuit die to which the metal conductive structure is to be attached.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein each of the number of particles has an approximately spherical shape.

12. A method comprising:

forming an integrated circuit heat sink including;

forming a metal conductive structure having a cavity and a plurality of fins on an outer surface of the metal conductive structure, the cavity being configured to enhance formation of convection currents within the cavity during operation of an integrated circuit, the metal conductive structure having a substantially flat external surface configured to thermally couple to a surface of the integrated circuit;

injecting a mixture including a phase change material and a number of particles into the cavity, wherein each of the particles in the number of particles has a density about equal to the density of the phase change material; and

sealing the cavity.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein injecting a mixture including a phase change material and a number of particles into the cavity includes intermixing a plurality of spheres into the phase change material including selecting a number of the plurality of spheres intermixed to be a large enough number to enhance convective cooling in the phase change material.

14. The method of claim 12, further including coupling the metal conductive structure to an integrated circuit die.

15. A method comprising:

forming an integrated circuit heat sink including;

forming a pair of symmetrical structures, each of the pair of symmetrical structures substantially identical to the other, each of the pair of symmetrical structures having a volume;

coupling the pair of symmetrical structures to form a cavity;

the coupled pair of symmetrical structures including an external surface configured to thermally couple to a surface of the integrated circuit;

injecting a mixture including a phase change material and a number of particles into the cavity; and

sealing the cavity.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein forming a pair of symmetrical structures includes forming the volume of each of the pair of symmetrical structures to be approximately one-half of a volume of the cavity.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein each of the number of particles has an approximately spherical shape.

18. A method comprising:

forming an integrated circuit heat sink including;

forming a pair of symmetrical structures, each of the pair of symmetrical structures substantially identical to the other, each of the pair of symmetrical structures having a volume, wherein forming a pair of symmetrical structures includes forming fins on an external surface of each of the pair of symmetrical structures;

coupling the pair of symmetrical structures to form a cavity;

injecting a mixture including a phase change material and a number of particles into the cavity; and

sealing the cavity.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein forming fins on an external surface of each of the pair of symmetrical structures includes attaching the fins using a metal fusing process.