Semiconductor chip structures with embedded thermal conductors

Abstract

Semiconductor chip structures are provided with embedded thermal conductors for removing heat from one or more electrically conductive levels thereof, wherein the conductive levels are formed on a dielectric material having a low dielectric constant and low thermal conductivity. One or more cooling posts, e.g., multiple thermally conductive plugs are selectively disposed within the semiconductor chip structure adjacent to one or more electrically conductive levels and thermally coupled thereto so that heat produced by conductive lines within the wiring levels is transferred into and through the cooling posts for forwarding to a supporting substrate, which may have a back surface coupled to a cold plate, or to an upper surface of the semiconductor chip structure. The thermally conductive plugs of each cooling post have a second thermal conductivity, and the first thermal conductivity is less than the second thermal conductivity, for example, one third or less. As a specific example, the wiring levels may comprise copper, and the plurality of dielectric layers supporting the wiring levels may comprise a low k dielectric glass or nanofoam.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.