# US 10,770,435 B2 · Apparatuses and methods for semiconductor die heat dissipation

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- Number: US 10,770,435 B2
- Document ID: US10770435B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/459,394
- Filed: 2019-07-01
- Published: 2019-10-24
- Granted: 2020-09-08
- Earliest claimed: 2015-02-19
- Assignees: Micron Technology, Inc.
- Applicants: Micron Technology, Inc.
- Inventors: Sameer S. Vadhavkar; Xiao Li; Anilkumar Chandolu
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10770435B2

## CPC

- H10W 90/00: Package configurations
- H10W 40/22: characterised by their shape, e.g. having conical or cylindrical projections
- H10W 40/70: Fillings or auxiliary members in containers or in encapsulations for thermal protection or control
- H10W 90/26: the stacked chips being of the same size without any chips being laterally offset, e.g. chip stacks having a rectangular shape
- H10W 90/28: the stacked chips having different sizes, e.g. chip stacks having a pyramidal shape
- H10W 90/288: {characterised by arrangements for thermal management of the stacked chips}
- H10W: GENERIC PACKAGES, INTERCONNECTIONS, CONNECTORS OR OTHER CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10

## Abstract

Apparatuses and methods for semiconductor die heat dissipation are described. For example, an apparatus for semiconductor die heat dissipation may include a substrate and a heat spreader. The substrate may include a thermal interface layer disposed on a surface of the substrate, such as disposed between the substrate and the heat spreader. The heat spreader may include a plurality of substrate-facing protrusions in contact with the thermal interface layer, wherein the plurality of substrate-facing protrusions are disposed at least partially through the thermal interface layer.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An apparatus, comprising:
a substrate;
a thermal interface layer disposed on a surface of the substrate; and
a heat spreader with a plurality of substrate-facing protrusions in proximity to the thermal interface layer, wherein the heat spreader covers an entire surface of a top die of a stack of semiconductor die, and wherein the thermal interface layer includes a plurality of upward-facing protrusions disposed between the plurality of substrate-facing protrusions, the upward-facing protrusions extending into a body of the heat spreader.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the thermal interface layer is disposed between the substrate-facing protrusions and the entire surface of the top die.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a bottom surface of one or more of the substrate-facing protrusions are in contact with the surface of the top die.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the heat spreader includes a plurality of other substrate-facing protrusions in proximity to another thermal interface layer disposed on a bottom die of the stack of semiconductor die.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The apparatus of claim 4, wherein a bottom surface of one or more of the other substrate-facing protrusions are in proximity to a surface of the bottom die.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of substrate-facing protrusions are downward facing pillars protruding from an underside of the heat spreader.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The apparatus of claim 6, wherein each of the pillars has a bottom surface and one or more side surfaces.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The apparatus of claim 6, wherein each of the pillars has a rectangular or circular shape.

### Claim 9 (depends on 6)

The apparatus of claim 6, wherein a bottom surface of a first protrusion of the plurality of substrate-facing protrusions is in contact with the thermal interface layer, and a bottom surface of a second protrusion of the plurality of substrate-facing protrusions is in contact with the surface of the top die.

### Claim 10

An apparatus, comprising:
a stack of semiconductor die, the stack of semiconductor die including a first die and a second die; and
a heat spreader including at least one first downward facing pillar extending through a thermal interface layer disposed on the first die, the heat spreader further including at least one second downward facing pillar extending through to another thermal interface layer disposed on the second die.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the first die is a top die, and the heat spreader covers an entire surface of the top die.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the second die is a bottom die, and the heat spreader covers at least a portion of a surface of the bottom die.

### Claim 13 (depends on 10)

The apparatus of claim 10, wherein a bottom surface of the at least one first downward facing pillar is in proximity to with the thermal interface layer, and a bottom surface of at least one other one of the first downward facing pillar is in proximity to a surface of the first die.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the distance between the bottom surface of the at least one first downward facing pillar and the surface of the die is less than 10 microns.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the thickness of the thermal interface layer is approximately 50 microns.

### Claim 16 (depends on 14)

The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the bottom surface of the at least one first downward facing pillar is in contact with the thermal interface layer.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the bottom surface of at least one other one of the first downward facing pillar is in contact with the surface of the first die.