Structured thermal transfer article

• US 7,360,581 B2
• Filed: 11/07/2005
• Issued: 04/22/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Tuma, Phillip E., Palmgren, Gary M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Walberg; Teresa J.
• Application Number:
  US11/268,139
• Publication Number:
  US 20070102140A1
• Time in Patent Office: 897 Days
• Field of Search: 165 802- 805, 165/185, 257/720, 257/722, 428/323
• US Class Current: 165/80.3
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/3732 Diamonds
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/3733 having a heterogeneous or anisotropic structure, e.g. powder or fibres in a matrix, wire mesh, porous structures H01L23/3732, H01L23/3737 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/3736 Metallic materials H01L23/3732, H01L23/3733, H01L23/3735, H01L23/3737, H01L23/3738 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/44 the complete device being wholly immersed in a fluid other than air H01L23/427 takes precedence
• 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: Y10T 29/49393 with metallurgical bonding

Abstract

Structured thermal transfer article comprising a plurality of metal bodies and a plurality of interstitial elements disposed between and connecting the plurality of metal bodies to one another. The metal bodies comprise an inner portion comprising a first metal and an outer portion comprising an alloy comprising the first metal and a second metal. The interstitial elements comprise the alloy of the outer portion.

Claims

1. A structured thermal transfer article comprising:

a plurality of metal bodies comprising an inner portion comprising a first metal selected from the group consisting of aluminum, copper, silver, and alloys thereof, and an outer portion comprising an alloy comprising the first metal and a second metal selected from the group consisting of copper, silver, and magnesium, wherein said first metal and said second metal are different; and

a plurality of interstitial elements disposed between and connecting said plurality of metal bodies to one another, said interstitial elements comprising said alloy of said outer portion.

2. The structured thermal transfer article of claim 1 wherein said first metal comprises copper and said second metal comprises silver.

3. The structured thermal transfer article of claim 1 wherein said first metal is copper and said interstitial element comprises an alloy of silver and copper.

4. The structured thermal transfer article of claim 1 wherein said first metal comprises aluminum and said second metal comprises magnesium.

5. The structured thermal transfer article of claim 1 wherein said first metal is aluminum and said interstitial element comprises an alloy of aluminum and magnesium.

6. The structured thermal transfer article of claim 1 wherein said inner portion further comprises diamond.

7. The structured thermal transfer article of claim 6 wherein said diamond comprises an intermediate coating comprising a carbide former selected from the group consisting of chromium, cobalt, manganese, molybdenum, nickel, silicon, tantalum, titanium, tungsten, vanadium, zirconium, and alloys thereof, wherein said first metal is affixed to said intermediate coating.

8. The structured thermal transfer article of claim 1 wherein said plurality of metal bodies have a unit density in the range of 10⁷ to 10⁹ bodies per cubic centimeter.

9. The structured thermal transfer article of claim 1 wherein said metal bodies are substantially spherical.

10. The structured thermal transfer article of claim 9 wherein said metal bodies comprise an average diameter in the range of 5 to 50 micrometers.

11. The structured thermal transfer article of claim 1 wherein said metal bodies comprises an aspect ratio in the range of 1 to 2.

12. The structured thermal transfer article of claim 1 having a thickness in the range of 20 to 500 millimeters.

13. The structured thermal transfer article of claim 1 wherein said structured thermal transfer article has an effective porosity of at least 10 percent.

26. A cooling system comprising the structured thermal transfer article of claim 1.

28. A method of cooling, a heat-dissipating device comprising:

providing a heat dissipating substrate having an outer surface;

affixing the structured thermal transfer article of claim 1 to said outer surface;

contacting said structured thermal transfer article with a cooling fluid.

29. The method of claim 28 wherein said method comprises single phase heat transfer.

30. The method of claim 28 wherein said method comprise two phase heat transfer.

31. The method of claim 30 wherein said cooling fluid is contained within a thermosyphon.

32. The method of claim 28 further comprising affixing said heat-dissipating substrate to a heat-generating device.

14. A structured thermal transfer article comprising:

a plurality of composite bodies comprises an inner portion comprising diamond and a first metal selected from the group consisting of aluminum, copper, silver, and alloys thereof, and an outer portion comprising an alloy comprising the first metal and a second metal selected from the group consisting of copper, silver, and magnesium, wherein said first metal and said second metal are different; and

a plurality of interstitial elements disposed between and connecting said plurality of metal bodies to one another, said interstitial elements comprising said alloy of said outer portion.

15. The structured thermal transfer article of claim 14 wherein said first metal comprises copper and said second metal comprises silver.

16. The structured thermal transfer article of claim 14 wherein said first metal is copper and said interstitial element comprises an alloy of silver and copper.

17. The structured thermal transfer article of claim 14 wherein said first metal comprises aluminum and said second metal comprises magnesium.

18. The structured thermal transfer article of claim 14 wherein said first metal is aluminum and said interstitial element comprises an alloy of aluminum and magnesium.

19. The thermal transfer coating of claim 14 further comprising an intermediate coating affixed to said diamond comprising a carbide former selected from the group consisting of chromium, cobalt, manganese, molybdenum, nickel, silicon, tantalum, titanium, tungsten, vanadium, zirconium, and alloys thereof, wherein said first metal is affixed to said intermediate coating.

20. The structured thermal transfer article of claim 14 wherein said plurality of metal bodies have a unit density in the range of 10⁷ to 10⁹ metal bodies per cubic centimeter.

21. The structured thermal transfer article of claim 14 wherein said metal bodies are substantially spherical.

22. The structured thermal transfer article of claim 14 wherein said metal bodies comprises an aspect ratio in the range of 1 to 2.

23. The structured thermal transfer article of claim 14 wherein said metal bodies comprise an average diameter in the range of 5 to 50 micrometers.

24. The structured thermal transfer article of claim 14 wherein said coating comprises a thickness in the range of 20 to 1,000 micrometers.

25. The structured thermal transfer article of claim 14 wherein said structured thermal transfer article has an effective porosity of at least 20 percent.

27. A cooling system comprising the structured thermal transfer article of claim 14.