US 10,096,537 B1Granted

Thermal management systems, methods for making, and methods for using

AssigneeMicrofabrica Inc.

InventorsRichard T. Chen, Will J. Tan

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Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention are directed to heat transfer arrays, cold plates including heat transfer arrays along with inlets and outlets, and thermal management systems including cold-plates, pumps and heat exchangers. These devices and systems may be used to provide thermal management or cooling of semiconductor devices and particularly such devices that produce high heat concentrations. The heat transfer arrays may include microjets, microchannels, fins, and even integrated microjets and fins. Other embodiments of the invention are directed to heat spreaders (e.g. heat pipes or vapor chambers) that provide enhanced thermal management via enhanced wicking structures and/or vapor creation and flow structures. Other embodiments provide enhanced methods for making such arrays and spreaders.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A heat spreader for an electronic heat generating component, comprising:

(a) an enclosed chamber comprising a floor, a lid, and side walls, wherein the floor of the chamber provides an external surface that may be placed in contact with or in proximity to a heat generating electronic component;
(b) a heat transfer fluid located within the chamber;
(c) a condensation region located within the chamber comprising a first array of fins having a first spacing;
(d) a vaporization region located with the chamber comprising a plurality of evaporation pores;
(e) an intermediate region located within the chamber and between the condensation region and the evaporation region comprising at least one second array of fins having a second spacing;
(f) a wicking structure located on or in proximity to the floor and extending from the condensation region to the vaporization region,
(g) a space extending from the evaporation region to the condensation region through which vaporized heat transfer fluid may travel, such that upon application of sufficient heat to the external surface of the floor by the electronic component, a portion of liquid heat transfer fluid is evaporated from the evaporation pores, flows through the space, and condenses at the condensation surface, and by capillary force is moved from the condensation region to the evaporation region via the wicking structure in a continuous flow that moves heat from the evaporation region to the condensation region,
wherein at least one of the first array of fins, the at least one second array of fins, or the wicking structure comprise a plurality of solid structures having an average size in the range of 20-60 microns that are spaced laterally from one another by gaps having average widths in the range of 5-50 microns and wherein the solid structures are joined vertically to one another in a laterally offset manner,
wherein the solid structures are formed from vertically stacked, planarized layers of electrodeposited material, and
wherein at least a portion of the solid structures have micron and submicron surface texturing with an average spacing of texturing features being less than 2 microns and an average size of texturing features being less than 2 microns.

7 more elements

A heat spreader for an electronic heat generating component, comprising:

(a) an enclosed chamber comprising a floor, a lid, and side walls, wherein the floor of the chamber provides an external surface that may be placed in contact with or in proximity to a heat generating electronic component;
(b) a heat transfer fluid located within the chamber;
(c) a condensation region located within the chamber comprising a first array of fins having a first spacing;
(d) a vaporization region located with the chamber comprising a plurality of evaporation pores;
(e) an intermediate region located within the chamber and between the condensation region and the evaporation region comprising at least one second array of fins having a second spacing;
(f) a wicking structure located on or in proximity to the floor and extending from the condensation region to the vaporization region,
(g) a space extending from the evaporation region to the condensation region through which vaporized heat transfer fluid may travel, such that upon application of sufficient heat to the external surface of the floor by the electronic component, a portion of liquid heat transfer fluid is evaporated from the evaporation pores, flows through the space, and condenses at the condensation surface, and by capillary force is moved from the condensation region to the evaporation region via the wicking structure in a continuous flow that moves heat from the evaporation region to the condensation region,
wherein at least one of the first array of fins, the at least one second array of fins, or the wicking structure comprise a plurality of solid structures having an average size in the range of 20-60 microns that are spaced laterally from one another by gaps having average widths in the range of 5-50 microns and wherein the solid structures are joined vertically to one another in a laterally offset manner,
wherein the first fin spacing is smaller than the second fin spacing and wherein the first fins have a height in the range of 200-600 microns with a base size of 100-300 microns and with an average pore size of 10-60 microns.

6 more elements

A heat spreader for an electronic heat generating component, comprising:

(a) an enclosed chamber comprising a floor, a lid, and side walls, wherein the floor of the chamber provides an external surface that may be placed in contact with or in proximity to a heat generating electronic component;
(b) a heat transfer fluid located within the chamber;
(c) a condensation region located within the chamber comprising a first array of fins having a first spacing;
(d) a vaporization region located with the chamber comprising a plurality of evaporation pores;
(e) an intermediate region located within the chamber and between the condensation region and the evaporation region comprising at least one second array of fins having a second spacing;
(f) a wicking structure located on or in proximity to the floor and extending from the condensation region to the vaporization region,
(g) a space extending from the evaporation region to the condensation region through which vaporized heat transfer fluid may travel, such that upon application of sufficient heat to the external surface of the floor by the electronic component, a portion of liquid heat transfer fluid is evaporated from the evaporation pores, flows through the space, and condenses at the condensation surface, and by capillary force is moved from the condensation region to the evaporation region via the wicking structure in a continuous flow that moves heat from the evaporation region to the condensation region,
wherein at least one of the first array of fins, the at least one second array of fins, or the wicking structure comprise a plurality of solid structures having an average size in the range of 20-60 microns that are spaced laterally from one another by gaps having average widths in the range of 5-50 microns and wherein the solid structures are joined vertically to one another in a laterally offset manner,
wherein the first fins have first average lateral dimension and the second fins have a second average lateral dimension which is larger than the first average lateral dimension.

6 more elements

A heat spreader for an electronic heat generating component, comprising:

(a) an enclosed chamber comprising a floor, a lid, and side walls, wherein the floor of the chamber provides an external surface that may be placed in contact with or in proximity to a heat generating electronic component;
(b) a heat transfer fluid located within the chamber;
(c) a condensation region located within the chamber comprising a first array of fins having a first spacing;
(d) a vaporization region located with the chamber comprising a plurality of evaporation pores;
(e) an intermediate region located within the chamber and between the condensation region and the evaporation region comprising at least one second array of fins having a second spacing;
(f) a wicking structure located on or in proximity to the floor and extending from the condensation region to the vaporization region,
(g) a space extending from the evaporation region to the condensation region through which vaporized heat transfer fluid may travel, such that upon application of sufficient heat to the external surface of the floor by the electronic component, a portion of liquid heat transfer fluid is evaporated from the evaporation pores, flows through the space, and condenses at the condensation surface, and by capillary force is moved from the condensation region to the evaporation region via the wicking structure in a continuous flow that moves heat from the evaporation region to the condensation region,
wherein at least one of the first array of fins, the at least one second array of fins, or the wicking structure comprise a plurality of solid structures having an average size in the range of 20-60 microns that are spaced laterally from one another by gaps having average widths in the range of 5-50 microns and wherein the solid structures are joined vertically to one another in a laterally offset manner,
wherein the evaporation region also comprises an array of third fins, having an average height which is less than an average height of the first or second fins.

6 more elements

An electronic component with a heat spreader, comprising:

(a) an electronic component;
(b) an enclosed chamber comprising a floor, a lid, and side walls, wherein the floor of the chamber comprises a surface of the heat generating component;
(c) a heat transfer fluid located within the chamber;
(d) a condensation region located within the chamber comprising a first array of fins having a first spacing;
(e) a vaporization region located within the chamber comprising a plurality of evaporation pores;
(f) an intermediate region located within the chamber and between the condensation region and the evaporation region comprising at least one second array of fins having a second spacing;
(g) a wicking structure located on or in proximity to the floor and extending from the condensation region to the vaporization region,
(h) a space extending from the evaporation region to the condensation region through which vaporized heat transfer fluid may travel, such that upon application of sufficient heat to the external surface of the floor by the electronic component, a portion of liquid heat transfer fluid is evaporated from the evaporation pores, flows through the space, and condenses at the condensation surface, and by capillary force is moved from the condensation region to the evaporation region via the wicking structure in a continuous flow that moves heat from the evaporation region to the condensation region,
wherein at least one of the first array of fins, the second array of fins, or the wicking structure comprise a plurality of solid structures having an average size in the range of 20-60 micron that are spaced laterally from one another by gaps having average widths in the range of 5-50 microns and wherein the solid structures are joined vertically to one another in a laterally offset manner,
wherein the solid structures are formed from vertically stacked, planarized layers of electrodeposited material, and
wherein at least a portion of the solid structures have micron and submicron surface texturing with an average spacing of texturing features being less than 2 microns and an average size of texturing features being less than 2 microns.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 15/475,074Filed 30 Mar 2017 · continuation in part
Priority: 30 Sep 2015
Granted: 9 Oct 2018
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification10 codes

H10W 40/73
Fillings or auxiliary members in containers or in encapsulations for thermal protection or control: for cooling by change of state
F28D 15/0233
In which the medium condenses and evaporates, e.g. heat pipes: the conduits having a particular shape, e.g. non-circular cross-section, annular
F28D 15/0266
In which the medium condenses and evaporates, e.g. heat pipes: with separate evaporating and condensing chambers connected by at least one…
H10W 40/776
Auxiliary members characterised by their shape: arrangements for jet impingement, e.g. for spraying

Family

Application62/235,547Substitution · filed 30 Sep 2015
Application62/274,056Us provisional application · filed 31 Dec 2015
Application62/294,389Us provisional application · filed 12 Feb 2016
Application62/316,470Us provisional application · filed 31 Mar 2016
Application62/321,848Us provisional application · filed 13 Apr 2016
Application62/321,840Us provisional application · filed 13 Apr 2016
Application62/355,557Us provisional application · filed 28 Jun 2016
Application62/357,275Us provisional application · filed 30 Jun 2016
Application15/283,013Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 30 Sep 2016
Application15/431,760Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 13 Feb 2017
Application15/283,013Substitution
US 2017/0092565 A1Published application
US 9,953,899 B2Related patent
US 10,096,537 B1This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.