Thermally enhanced semiconductor chip package

A semiconductor chip package with enhanced cooling comprising:

• a plurality of semiconductor chips bonded together in a stack forming a chip module, wherein adjacent chips of the chip module are staggered such that along two opposite faces of the chip module an edge of every other chip protrudes out from the stack with a recess formed between each pair of successive protruding edges, and wherein the two opposite faces of the chip module are capped to create a coolant channel along each recess;
• a base adjacent to a first exterior face of the chip module, said base and first face being spaced apart by a gap;
• a plurality of connecting means in said gap physically and electrically connecting the base to the chip module at a plurality of points on said first face of the chip module;
• means for circulating a coolant in the gap between the base and the first face of the chip module around and into thermal communication with the plurality of connecting means to draw heat away from the module through the connecting means;
• and
• sealing means to form a sealed chamber between the first face of the chip module and the base, said sealed chamber being in fluid communication with each coolant channel;
• and wherein the means for circulating coolant comprises an opening in the base so that coolant can flow through the opening in the base around and into thermal communication with the plurality of connecting means and along each coolant channel.

A chip package with enhanced cooling comprising:

• a plurality of semiconductor chips bonded together in a stack forming a chip module wherein adjacent chips of the chip module are staggered such that along two opposite first and second faces of the chip module, an edge of every other chip of the module protrudes out from the stack with a recess formed between each pair of successive protruding edges;
• a base adjacent to a third face of the chip module;
• and
• a plurality of connecting means physically and electrically connecting the base to the chip module at a plurality of points on said third face of the chip module.

A chip package with enhanced cooling comprising:

• a plurality of semiconductor chips bonded together in a stack forming a chip module wherein adjacent chips of the chip module are staggered such that along two opposite first and second faces of the chip module, an edge of every other chip of the module protrudes out from the stack with a recess formed between each pair of successive protruding edges, and wherein the two opposite first and second faces of the chip module are capped to create a coolant channel along each recess;
• a base adjacent to a third face of the chip module;
• and
• a plurality of connecting means physically and electrically connecting the base to the chip module at a plurality of points on said third face of the chip module.

A method for cooling a semiconductor chip module comprising:

• forming a chip module from a plurality of stacked staggered semiconductor chips, an edge of every other chip protruding out along one of two opposite first and second faces of the chip module so that recesses are formed between every other chip along the first and second faces,
• capping the two opposite first and second faces of the chip module such that coolant channels are formed by the caps and the recesses,
• locating a base adjacent to a third face of the chip module,
• connecting physically and electrically the base to the chip module at a plurality of points along the third face with connectors such that a chamber is formed between the base and the third face of the chip module,
• providing a thermal via between the connectors and the chip module at one or more of the connectors,
• sealing the chamber so that the chamber is in fluid communication with the coolant channels,
• providing an opening in the base and openings in the cooling channels at a fourth face of the chip module,
• circulating coolant around the chip module by introducing coolant into the opening in the base and creating a pressure differential between the opening in the base and the openings in the coolant channels at the fourth face so that coolant will flow into the base, around the connectors in the base, up along the coolant channels and out of the coolant channels at the fourth face,
• collection the coolant at the fourth face and extracting excess heat from the coolant, and
• then recirculating the coolant about the chip module.

A chip package with enhanced cooling comprising:

• a plurality of semiconductor chips bonded together in a stack forming a chip module;
• a base adjacent to a first exterior face of the chip module, said base and first face being spaced apart by a gap;
• a plurality of connecting means in said gap physically and electrically connecting the base to the chip module at a plurality of points on said first face of the chip module;
• means for circulating a coolant in the gap between the base and the first face of the chip module around and into thermal communication with the plurality of connecting means to draw heat away from the module through the connecting means;
• means for peripherally sealing said gap to form a sealed chamber between the base and the first face of the module enclosing the plurality of connecting means;
• and
• wherein said means for circulating a coolant comprises pump means for causing the coolant to flow through said chamber and contact the plurality of connecting means in the chamber.