Nanotube surface coatings for improved wettability
AssigneeMolecular Nanosystems, Inc.
InventorsLawrence Pan, Gang Gu, Jim Protsenko, Xuejiao Hu, Hongjie Dai, Srinivas Rao
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Abstract
A thermal interface includes an array of generally aligned carbon nanotubes joined to a surface with a metal layer. The array of carbon nanotubes includes a coating on the ends of the carbon nanotubes for improved wetting of the metal layer to the ends of the carbon nanotubes so that the thermal resistance at the interface between the carbon nanotubes ends and the metal is reduced. A semiconductor device that employs a thermal interface of the invention, and a method for fabricating the thermal interfaces are also provided.
Claims28
A thermal interface comprising:
- a metal layer;
- an array of generally aligned carbon nanotubes, the array having an end disposed within the metal layer;
- and
- a wetting layer disposed on the carbon nanotubes at the end of the array, the wetting layer being disposed between the carbon nanotubes and the metal layer.
A semiconductor device comprising:
- a heat generation source having a backside;
- a first cooling aid having a first surface;
- and
- a thermal interface between the backside of the heat generation source and the first surface of the first cooling aid, the thermal interface including
- a metal layer,
- an array of generally aligned carbon nanotubes, the array having a first end disposed within the metal layer, and
- a wetting layer disposed on the carbon nanotubes at the end of the array, the wetting layer being disposed between the carbon nanotubes and the metal layer.
A method for fabricating a thermal interface, the method comprising:
- forming an array of carbon nanotubes on a surface of a first object;
- coating the carbon nanotubes at a free end of the array with a wetting layer;
- and
- attaching a surface of a second object to the free end of the array.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.