Detecting thermal interface material (‘TIM’) between a heat sink and an integrated circuit

An apparatus for detecting thermal interface material (TIM) between a heat sink and an integrated circuit that comprises plurality of TIM detection points, the apparatus comprising a computer processor, a computer memory operatively coupled to the computer processor, the computer memory having disposed within it computer program instructions that, when executed by the computer processor, cause the apparatus to carry out the steps of:

• receiving, upon installation of the heat sink on the integrated circuit and the TIM in one or more of the TIM detection points, wherein each of the one or more TIM detection points includes a TIM detection device;
• activating, in each of the one or more TIM detection points receiving the TIM, a TIM detection device;
• and
• determining, in dependence upon the activations of the TIM detection devices, sufficiency of the TIM between the heat sink and the integrated circuit;
• and
• responsive to determining that the TIM between the heat sink and the integrated circuit is insufficient, controlling, in real-time, operation of the integrated circuit to reduce heat generated by the integrated circuit.

A computer program product disposed upon a computer readable medium, the computer program product comprising computer program instructions that, when executed, cause a computer to carry out the steps of:

• receiving, upon installation of a heat sink on an integrated circuit and the thermal interface material (‘TIM’), TIM in one or more of the TIM detection points, wherein each of the one or more TIM detection points includes a TIM detection device;
• activating, in each of the one or more TIM detection points receiving the TIM, a TIM detection device;
• and
• determining, in dependence upon the activations of the TIM detection devices, sufficiency of the TIM between the heat sink and the integrated circuit;
• and
• responsive to determining that the TIM between the heat sink and the integrated circuit is insufficient, controlling, in real-time, operation of the integrated circuit to reduce heat generated by the integrated circuit.

An integrated circuit comprising:

• a plurality of thermal interface material (‘TIM’) detection points, each TIM detection point adapted to receive TIM upon installation of a heat sink on the integrated circuit and the TIM, each TIM detection point comprises a TIM detection device activated upon contact with TIM;
• and
• a TIM detection module configured to:
• receive a TIM detection signal from each TIM detection device upon contact between TIM and the TIM detection device and to determine, in dependence upon the received TIM detection signals, the sufficiency of the TIM between the heat sink and the integrated circuit;
• responsive to determining that the TIM between the heat sink and the integrated circuit is insufficient, controlling operation of the integrated circuit to reduce heat generated by the integrated circuit.