Embedded cooling systems utilizing heat pipes

An embedded cooling system, comprising:

• a printed circuit board (PCB) substrate having a first major surface opposite a second major surface;
• a plurality of power device stacks embedded within the PCB substrate between the first major surface and the second major surface, each one of the plurality of power device stacks comprising:
• a first substrate having a cavity formed therein,
• a second substrate having one or more recesses formed therein, and
• an electrical insulation layer disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate such that the cavity and the one or more recesses face away from each other;
• a plurality of power devices, each one of the plurality of power devices received within the cavity of the first substrate of each of the plurality of power device stacks respectively and thermally coupled to the first substrate;
• one or more heat pipes having a first end and a second end spaced a distance apart from the first end, the first end embedded within the PCB substrate and the second end extending outside of the PCB substrate, the one or more heat pipes received within the one or more recesses of the second substrate;
• and
• at least one cooling assembly arranged externally to the PCB substrate such that the second end of the one or more heat pipes is at least partially disposed within the at least one cooling assembly,
• wherein the plurality of power device stacks and the at least one cooling assembly are horizontally aligned with respect to each other in a longitudinal direction of the one or more heat pipes, and the plurality of power device stacks are electrically coupled to each other via one or more vias extending in the longitudinal direction.

A method of forming an embedded cooling system, the method comprising:

• forming each of a plurality of power device stacks by:
• forming a first substrate with a cavity therein;
• forming a second substrate having a plurality of recesses therein;
• bonding the first substrate and the second substrate to an electrical insulation disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate such that the cavity of the first substrate faces in a direction opposite of a direction in which the plurality of recesses face;
• bonding a power device within the cavity of the first substrate;
• and
• bonding one or more pulsating heat pipes within the plurality of recesses of the second substrate;
• and
• embedding the plurality of power device stacks and the one or more pulsating heat pipes within a substrate such that a portion of the one or more pulsating heat pipes extends to a location that is external to the substrate to a cooling assembly arranged externally to the substrate,
• wherein the plurality of power device stacks and the cooling assembly are horizontally aligned with respect to each other in a longitudinal direction of the one or more heat pipes, and the plurality of power device stacks are electrically coupled to each other via one or more vias extending in the longitudinal direction.