Integrated circuit nanotube-based structure
AssigneeTaiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
InventorChris Wyland
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Carbon nanotube material is used in an integrated circuit substrate. According to an example embodiment, an integrated circuit arrangement (100) includes a substrate (110) with a carbon nanotube structure (120) therein. The carbon nanotube structure is arranged in one or more of a variety of manners to provide structural support and/or thermal conductivity. In some instances, the carbon nanotube structure is arranged to provide substantially all structural support for an integrated circuit arrangement. In other instances, the carbon nanotube structure is arranged to dissipate heat throughout the substrate. In still other instances, the carbon nanotube structure is arranged to remove heat from selected portions of the carbon nanotube substrate.
Claims24
An integrated circuit chip arrangement comprising:
- a substrate having a thickness and extending laterally perpendicular to the thickness;
- an upper surface layer arranged for supporting circuits;
- and
- a support layer of carbon nanotube material in the substrate and below the upper surface layer, the support layer configured and arranged to structurally support the substrate and integrated circuits formed at the upper surface layer.
A circuit arrangement comprising:
- a substrate having a thickness and extending laterally perpendicular to the thickness;
- an upper surface region of the substrate having conductive pads, configured and arranged for coupling to integrated circuit chips;
- a lower surface region of the substrate having conductive pads, configured and arranged for coupling to external circuits;
- a conductive interconnect system extending between and coupling the conductive pads on the lower surface with conductive pads on the upper surface and configured and arranged for passing signals between the conductive pads;
- a carbon nanotube layer in the substrate, vertically between the upper and lower surfaces, and extending laterally across at least a portion of the substrate, the carbon nanotube layer including carbon nanotubes configured and arranged for at least one of:
- structurally supporting the substrate and conducting heat in the substrate;
- and
- the conductive interconnect system having interconnects extending through the support layer and electrically insulated from the carbon nanotubes.
A method for manufacturing an integrated circuit substrate for transferring heat, the method comprising:
- characterizing heat-generating components of the integrated circuit substrate;
- and
- arranging carbon nanotube structures in the substrate to transfer heat away from the heat-generating components.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.