MEMORY MODULES INCLUDING COMPLIANT MULTILAYERED THERMALLY-CONDUCTIVE INTERFACE ASSEMBLIES

• US 20100321895A1
• Filed: 06/17/2009
• Published: 12/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Laird Technologies Incorporated (DuPont de Nemours, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Laird Technologies Incorporated (DuPont de Nemours, Inc.)
• Inventors: Smythe, Robert Michael, Hill, Richard F.
• Granted Patent: US 8,081,468 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/715
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 13/003 by using permeable mass, perforated or porous materials F28F13/18 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 21/02 of carbon, e.g. graphite
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 21/084 from aluminium or aluminium alloys
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 21/085 from copper or copper alloys
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10159 Memory
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20472 Sheet interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49124 On flat or curved insulated base, e.g., printed circuit, etc.
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/14 Layer or component removable to expose adhesive
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249994 Composite having a component wherein a constituent is liquid or is contained within preformed walls [e.g., impregnant-filled, previously void containing component, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/25 Web or sheet containing structurally defined element or component and including a second component containing structurally defined particles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/30 Self-sustaining carbon mass or layer with impregnant or other layer

Abstract

According to various aspects of the present disclosure, exemplary embodiments are disclosed of thermally-conductive interface assemblies suitable for use in dissipating heat from one or more components of a memory module. The thermally-conductive interface assembly may generally include a flexible heat-spreading material having first and second sides and one or more perforations extending through the flexible heat-spreading material from the first side to the second side. The flexible heat-spreading material may be sandwiched between first and second layers of soft thermal interface material. A portion of the soft thermal interface material may be disposed within the one or more perforations. The thermally-conductive interface assembly may be positioned relative to one or more components of a memory module to provide a thermally-conductive heat path from the one or more components to the first layer of soft thermal interface material.

Claims

1. A memory module comprising:

a printed circuit board substrate having first and second sides and one or more electronic components on at least one of the first and second sides;

at least one thermally-conductive interface assembly comprising a flexible heat-spreading material between first and second layers of soft thermal interface material; and

the at least one thermally-conductive interface assembly disposed relative to at least one of the first and second sides of the printed circuit board substrate such that there is a thermally-conductive heat path from one or more electronic components on the at least one of the first and second sides to the first layer of soft thermal interface material.

2. The memory module of claim 1, wherein the flexible heat-spreading material comprises a flexible graphite sheet encapsulated within the soft thermal interface material.

3. The memory module of claim 1, wherein the flexible heat-spreading material comprises a perforated graphite sheet.

4. The memory module of claim 3, wherein the soft thermal interface material comprises thermally-conductive polymer that encapsulates the perforated graphite sheet and forms a polymer-to-polymer bond through one or more perforations in the perforated graphite sheet.

5. The memory module of claim 4, wherein the polymer-to-polymer bond helps mechanically bond the first and second layers to the perforated graphite sheet and/or helps provide heat conduction between the first and second layers.

6. The memory module of claim 1, wherein the flexible heat-spreading material comprises particles of intercalated and exfoliated graphite flakes.

7. The memory module of claim 1, wherein:

the flexible heat-spreading material comprises particles of intercalated and exfoliated graphite flakes formed into a graphite sheet;

the graphite sheet includes one or more perforations; and

the soft thermal interface material comprises thermally-conductive polymer that encapsulates the graphite sheet and forms a polymer-to-polymer bond through the one or more perforations, whereby the polymer-to-polymer bond helps mechanically bond the first and second layers to the graphite sheet and/or helps provide heat conduction between the first and second layers.

8. The memory module of claim 1, wherein:

the flexible heat-spreading material comprises one or more perforations extending through the flexible heat-spreading material from a first side to a second side; and

a portion of the soft thermal interface material is disposed within the one or more perforations.

9. The memory module of claim 8, wherein the portion of the soft thermal interface material disposed within the one or more perforations:

forms a mechanical bond between the first and second layers of soft thermal interface material; and

/or

forms a thermally-conductive pathway between the first and second layers of soft thermal interface material

10. The memory module of claim 1, wherein the at least one thermally-conductive interface assembly comprises first and second thermally-conductive interface assemblies disposed along the respective first and second sides of the printed circuit board substrate, such that there are thermally-conductive heat paths from one or more electronic components on the respective first and second sides to the first layer of soft thermal interface material of the respective first and second thermally-conductive interface assembly.

11. The memory module of claim 1, wherein:

the first layer of soft thermal interface material is configured to provide a thermally-conductive path between the flexible heat-spreading material and a lower surface of the first layer of soft thermal interface material;

the flexible heat-spreading material is configured to thermally-conduct heat from the first layer of soft thermal interface material through a longitudinal cross-section of the flexible heat-spreading material to thereby spread the heat generally throughout the flexible heat-spreading material; and

the second layer of soft thermal interface material is configured to provide a thermally-conductive path from the flexible heat-spreading material to an outer surface of the second layer of soft thermal interface material.

12. The memory module of claim 1, wherein the first layer is formed from a different thermal interface material than the second layer.

13. The memory module of claim 1, wherein the soft thermal interface material comprises one or more of:

thermally-conductive polymer;

a thermally-conductive compliant material;

a thermal interface/phase change material.

a gap filler;

a thermal grease;

elastomer filled with thermally-conductive materials formed from ceramic particles and/or metal particles;

ferrite particles;

metal or fiberglass meshes in a base of rubber, gel, grease, or wax;

silicone elastomers reinforced with boron nitride; and

a combination thereof.

14. The memory module of claim 1, wherein the at least one thermally-conductive interface assembly further includes at least one of:

a layer of adhesive disposed on the first layer of soft thermal interface material for attachment to one or more electronic components; and

/or

a metal foil layer disposed on the outer surface of the second layer of soft thermal interface material.

15. The memory module of claim 1, wherein the soft thermal interface material includes thermally-conductive fibers that are at least one of:

configured such that the soft thermal interface material is compressible and spreadable over a surface; and

/or

distributed throughout the soft thermal interface material in a manner such that one or more fibers are in contact with one or more other fibers, to enhance the ability of the first and second layers of thermal interface material to conduct heat.

16. The memory module of claim 1, wherein the flexible heat-spreading material comprises one or more of aluminum, copper, or graphite.

17. The memory module of claim 1, wherein the memory module is a DDR memory module.

18. A memory module comprising:

a printed circuit board substrate having first and second sides and one or more electronic components on at least one of the first and second sides;

at least one thermally-conductive interface assembly comprising a flexible heat-spreading material having first and second sides and at least one layer of soft, compliant thermal interface material along at least the first side of the flexible heat-spreading material;

the at least one thermally-conductive interface assembly disposed relative to at least one of the first and second sides of the printed circuit board substrate such that there is a thermally-conductive heat path from one or more electronic components on the at least one of the first and second sides to the at least one layer of soft, compliant thermal interface material.

19. The memory module of claim 18, wherein the flexible heat-spreading material comprises a flexible graphite sheet, and wherein the at least one layer of soft, compliant thermal interface material comprises gap filler.

20. The memory module of claim 18, further comprising one or more of:

a thermal interface material along the second side of the flexible heat-spreading material; and

/or

a metal foil layer disposed along the second side of the flexible heat-spreading material.

21. The memory module of claim 18, wherein the flexible heat-spreading material is perforated and includes one or more perforations.

22. A thermally-conductive interface assembly suitable for use in dissipating heat from one or more components of a memory module, the thermally-conductive interface assembly comprising a flexible heat-spreading material having first and second sides and one or more perforations extending through the heat-spreading material from the first side to the second side, the heat-spreading material sandwiched between first and second layers of soft thermal interface material, wherein a portion of the thermal interface material is disposed within the one or more perforations, whereby the thermally-conductive interface assembly is positionable relative to the one or more components of the memory module to provide a thermally-conductive heat path from the one or more components to the first layer of soft thermal interface material.

23. A method relating to heat dissipation from a memory module, the method comprising positioning a thermally-conductive interface assembly, which comprises a flexible heat-spreading material encapsulated within and sandwiched between first and second layers of soft thermal interface material, such that a thermally-conductive heat path is defined from one or more components of the memory module, through the first layer of soft thermal interface material, the flexible heat-spreading material, and the second layer of soft thermal interface material.