Thermal management using phase change material

An apparatus comprising:

• a phase change material substantially at a phase transition temperature of the phase change material;
• a silicon photonics component near, on, or at least partially in the phase change material;
• an optical waveguide near, on, or at least partially in the phase change material to guide light to the silicon photonics component;
• a heat removal device to transfer heat away from the phase change material;
• and
• control circuitry electrically coupled to the heat source and a sensor, the sensor near, on, or at least partially in the phase change material, the control circuitry to receive one or more signals from the sensor and provide control signals to the heat source to alter an amount of heat energy provided by the heat source in response to the one or more signals from the sensor and to maintain the phase change material at the phase transition temperature.

A method comprising:

• sensing, using a sensor, a property of a phase change material;
• providing, by the sensor, one or more signals indicating a value of the detected property to control circuitry;
• guiding, by an optical waveguide near, on, or at least partially in the phase change material to light to a silicon photonics component;
• and
• providing, using the control circuitry, one or more control signals to a heat removal device to adjust an amount of heat energy transferred away from the phase change material by the heat removal device to maintain the phase change material at a phase transition temperature, and maintain a temperature of the silicon photonics component on, near, or at least partially in the phase change material at the phase transition temperature.

A system comprising:

• a phase change material;
• a silicon photonics component near, on, or at least partially in the phase change material;
• an optical waveguide near, on, or at least partially in the phase change material to guide light to the silicon photonics component;
• a heat source to provide heat energy to the phase change material;
• control circuitry electrically coupled to the heat source;
• a sensor near, on, or at least partially in the phase change material and electrically coupled to the control circuitry, the sensor to measure a property of the phase change material and provide one or more signals indicating a value of the property to the control circuitry;
• and
• the control circuitry to provide one or more control signals to the heat source to alter the amount of heat energy provided by the heat source and maintain the phase change material at a phase transition temperature.

A system comprising:

• a first phase change material;
• a first silicon photonics component near, on, or at least partially in the first phase change material;
• an optical waveguide near, on, or at least partially in the phase change material to guide light to the silicon photonics component;
• a first heat removal device to transfer heat energy away from the first phase change material;
• first control circuitry electrically coupled to the first heat removal device;
• a first sensor near, on, or at least partially in the first phase change material and electrically coupled to the first control circuitry, the first sensor to measure a property of the first phase change material and provide one or more signals indicating a value of the property to the first control circuitry;
• the first control circuitry to provide one or more control signals to the first heat removal device to alter the amount of heat energy transferred away by the heat removal device and maintain the first phase change material at a phase transition temperature;
• a second phase change material;
• a second optical component near, on, or at least partially in the second phase change material;
• a second heat removal device to transfer heat energy away from the second phase change material;
• second control circuitry electrically coupled to the second heat removal device;
• a second sensor near, on, or at least partially in the second phase change material and electrically coupled to the second control circuitry, the second sensor to measure a property of the second phase change material and provide one or more signals indicating a value of the property to the second control circuitry;
• the second control circuitry to provide one or more control signals to the second heat removal device to alter the amount of heat energy transferred away by the second heat removal device and maintain the second phase change material at the phase transition temperature;
• and
• an optical waveguide coupled to the first optical component and the second optical component and at least partially embedded in the first and second phase change materials.