Carbon nanotube thermal interface structures
AssigneeIntel Corporation
InventorsStephen W. Montgomery, Ven R. Holalkere
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The invention relates to a process of forming a thermal interface that employs carbon nanotubes to reduce thermal resistance between an electronic device and a cooling solution. Bundles of aligned nanotubes receive injected polymeric material to produce a polymeric/carbon composite which is then placed between the electronic device and a heat sink or other cooling solution.
Claims26
A thermal interface structure comprising:
- at least one carbon nanotube bundle oriented substantially parallel to a desired heat transfer axis of the thermal interface;
- and
- an interstitial material in which the nanotube bundles are embedded.
A thermal interface comprising:
- at least one bundle of carbon nanotubes, the bundles oriented substantially parallel to each other and to a heat transfer flow path of the thermal interface;
- and
- an interstitial material between the bundles of nanotubes.
A heat transfer structure for use with a semiconductor die comprising:
- a heat sink having a surface to couple to the die;
- and
- a thermally conductive element comprising a first surface coupled to the heat sink and a second surface coupled to the semiconductor die, the thermally conductive element comprising a plurality of bundles of carbon nanotubes oriented with their axes substantially perpendicular to the first and second surfaces.
An electronic assembly comprising at least one integrated circuit package comprising:
- at least one integrated circuit die;
- a heat sink having a surface coupled to the die;
- and
- a thermally conductive element comprising a first surface coupled to the heat sink and a second surface coupled to the die, the thermally conductive element comprising a plurality of bundles of carbon nanotubes oriented with their axes substantially perpendicular to the first and second surfaces.
A data processing system comprising:
- a bus coupling components to the data processing system;
- a display coupled to the bus;
- external memory coupled to the bus;
- and
- a processor coupled to the bus and comprising an electronic assembly including at least one electronic package comprising:
- at least one integrated circuit die;
- a heat sink having a surface coupled to the die;
- and
- a thermally conductive element comprising a first surface coupled to the heat sink and a second surface to couple to the die, the thermally conductive element comprising a plurality of bundles of carbon nanotubes oriented with their axes substantially perpendicular to the first and second surfaces.
A method of fabricating a thermal interface structure comprising:
- embedding an array of bundles of substantially aligned carbon nanotubes in an interstitial material to form an intermediate having a layer of substantially aligned carbon nanotubes embedded therein;
- and
- removing excess material from the intermediate to provide a thermal interface structure having a first substantially planar surface for engaging a surface of one object and a second substantially planar surface for engaging a surface of another object, the first and second surfaces oriented substantially perpendicular to the substantially aligned carbon nanotubes.
A method of providing a thermal intermediate between two objects comprising:
- providing an array of bundles of substantially aligned carbon nanotubes coupled to one of the objects;
- embedding the array of bundles of substantially aligned carbon nanotubes in an interstitial material to form a layer of substantially aligned carbon nanotubes embedded therein;
- and
- coupling the array to the other object.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.