Heat regulating device for an integrated circuit
AssigneeGlobalfoundries Inc.
InventorsKhoi A. Phan, Bharath Rangarajan, Bhanwar Singh
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention provides for a system and method for regulating and monitoring heat dissipation of an integrated circuit by employing a heat regulating device with a thermal structure net work assembly. Each thermal structure can act as a heat conducting pathway for inducing heat into and/or dissipating heat away from the integrated circuit, thus creating a more uniform temperature gradient across the semiconductor body.
Claims20
A method for regulating heat flow in an integrated circuit, comprising:
- providing an integrated circuit with a semiconductor body having hot spots generated therein;
- a heat regulating device including:
- at least one thermo-electrical structure for at least one of inducing heat into or dissipating generated heat away from a region of the semiconductor body;
- at least one layer of a conductive material in contact with the thermo-electrical structure for conducting heat flow;
- a control unit in communication with the heat regulating device;
- creating a temperature grid of the integrated circuit showing a respective temperature for each region of the semiconductor body;
- comparing the temperature of the region with an allowable temperature for the region;
- controlling by the control unit an operation of the heat regulating device in response to data gathered by the at least one thermo-electrical structure.
A method for mitigating heat in an integrated circuit, comprising:
- mapping a semiconductor body of the integrated circuit into grid blocks;
- determining a temperature at each grid block;
- and
- adjusting the function of at least one thermo-electrical structure based at least in part on the determined temperatures.
A method for dissipating heat in an integrated circuit, comprising:
- generating a map of a semiconductor body of the integrated circuit;
- measuring a temperature at a plurality of locations on the semiconductor body;
- recording the temperatures at the plurality of locations;
- comparing the measured temperatures to a threshold temperature;
- activating at least one thermo-electrical device to remove heat from a first location of the plurality of locations, the first location having a measured temperature above the threshold temperature.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.