Structure with heat dissipating device and method to produce a computer

#The invention relates to a structure with a thermal dissipating device, to a method to produce a computer with a thermal dissipating device and to an electronic module with a thermal dissipating device.

#Electronic components can generate large amounts of heat that can affect their operation. Particularly components used in computer systems, generate large amounts of heat. For example, the following are some typical maximum central processing unit operating temperatures for various computer microprocessors: 1.3 GHz-69° C.; 1.4 GHz-70° C.; 1.5 GHz-72° C.; 256 or 512K L2 cache-85° C.; and 1 MB L2 cache-80° C. The component temperature must be maintained within the maximum operating temperature to optimize device performance and reliability. A component can fail if its temperature exceeds the limit.

#A component can be kept within an operating temperature limit by transferring generated heat away from the component to ambient environment, usually the surrounding room air. The heat transfer can be accomplished for example, by associating a thermal dissipating device such as a heat sink, with the component. A heat sink is a thermal dissipating device that comprises a structure, generally metal, that is thermally coupled to a heat source such as a microprocessor. The heat sink draws heat energy away from the heat source by conduction of the energy from a high-temperature region to the lower-temperature region of the heat sink. All modem microprocessors require a thermal dissipating device. Some require the thermal dissipating device in combination with a fan. A heat sink without a fan is called a passive heat sink; a heat sink with a fan is called an active heat sink.

#FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of a substrate with a fullerene coating;

#FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a modular controller for operating an electric load such as a motor;

#FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of central processing unit; and

#According to the invention, a fullerene coated substrate provides a thermal dissipation structure having improved surface area and fluid flow thermal transfer characteristics resulting in high efficiency. In this application, fullerene “coating” means a covering fullerene layer. The fullerene coating is a contiguous and substantially continuous layer spread onto the substrate as opposed to a layer that may include fullerene molecules, some of which may have some incidental contact with the substrate. For example, a fullerene containing adhesive layer used to adhere a semiconductor component onto a heat sink substrate is not a fullerene coating within the definition of the invention.

#The nanotubes of the present invention would provide a thermal bridge through the adhesive layer used to adhere the semiconductor components.

#Fullerenes are a class of carbon molecules having an even number of carbon atoms arranged in the form of a closed hollow cage, typically spheroid, wherein the carbon-carbon bonds define a polyhedral structure reminiscent of a soccer ball. The most well studied fullerene is C60, buckminsterfullerene. Other known fullerenes include C70 and C84.