Patent Application
20230070808
Electrical circuits, such as power amplifier circuits, generate heat during normal operation. Heat build-up may undesirably increase the temperature of the various components of the electrical circuit. If this heat is not sufficiently managed, for example by dissipation to a heat sink, the electrical device may overheat, resulting in damage to the electrical component.
In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a heat sink component can include a body comprising a thermally conductive material that is electrically non-conductive. The body can have a top surface, a bottom surface opposite the top surface, and a plurality of side surfaces. The heat sink component can include a heat source terminal formed over the bottom surface of the body. The heat source terminal can be spaced apart from the plurality of side surfaces. A heat sink terminal can be formed over the bottom surface of the body. The heat sink terminal can be spaced apart from the plurality of side surfaces.
In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, a component assembly can include a device including a top surface and a plurality of terminals exposed on the top surface. A heat sink component can be mounted to the device. The heat sink component can include a body including a thermally conductive material that is electrically non-conductive. The body can have a top surface, a bottom surface opposite the top surface, and plurality of side surfaces. The heat sink component can include a heat source terminal formed over the bottom surface of the body. The heat source terminal can be spaced apart from the plurality of side surfaces of the body. A heat sink terminal can be formed over the bottom surface of the body. The heat source terminal can be spaced apart from the plurality of side surfaces. The heat source terminal can be connected with one of the plurality of terminals of the device. The heat sink terminal can be connected with another of the plurality of terminals of the device.
In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, a method of manufacturing a heat sink component can include providing a body including a thermally conductive material that is electrically non-conductive. The body can have a top surface, a bottom surface opposite the top surface, and plurality of side surfaces. The method can include forming a heat source terminal over the bottom surface of the body. The heat source terminal can be spaced apart from the plurality of side surfaces. The method can include forming a heat sink terminal over the bottom surface of the body. The heat source terminal can be spaced apart from the plurality of side surfaces.
A full and enabling disclosure of the present invention, including the best mode thereof, directed to one of ordinary skill in the art, is set forth more particularly in the remainder of the specification, which makes reference to the appended figure in which:
Repeat use of reference characters in the present specification and drawing is intended to represent same or analogous features or elements of the invention.
It is to be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that the present discussion is a description of exemplary embodiments only, and is not intended as limiting the broader aspects of the present invention, which broader aspects are embodied in the exemplary construction.
Generally speaking, the present invention is directed to a heat sink component that is configured for land grid array type surface mounting. The heat sink component can include a body including a thermally conductive material that is electrically non-conductive. The body can have a top surface, a bottom surface opposite the top surface, and a plurality of side surfaces. One or more heat source terminals can be formed over the bottom surface of the body. The heat source terminal(s) can be configured to connect with one or more respective electrical devices or components and conduct heat into the heat sink component from the electrical devices or components. The heat source terminal(s) can be exposed along the bottom surface of the body for land grid array type mounting of the heat sink component. The heat source terminal(s) can be spaced apart from the plurality of side surfaces. A heat sink terminal can be formed over the bottom surface of the body. The heat sink terminal can be spaced apart from the plurality of side surfaces.
In some embodiments, a plurality of heat source terminals can be formed over the bottom surface of the body of the heat sink component. The plurality of heat source terminals can be arranged in a variety of configurations. For example, the heat source terminals can be arranged in a grid or other suitable pattern, e.g., the heat source terminals can be exposed along the bottom surface of the body for land grid array type mounting of the heat sink component. The heat source terminals can be arranged in a manner that aligns with heat source terminals of a device (e.g., circuit board, electrical component), to which the heat sink component is configured to be mounted.
As used herein, a layer that is “formed over” an object can include the layer being directly formed on the object and the layer being formed over one or more intermediate layers that are between the layer and the object. Further, formed “over” a bottom surface refers to outward from a center of the component
In some embodiments, the heat sink component can provide connections between the heat source terminals. For example, the connections can be or include direct electrical connections such that the heat sink component acts as an interposer between various heat source terminals. As another example, the connections can be or include thin-film components (e.g., capacitors, inductors, resistors, etc.).
For example, a via and an additional via may be formed in the body. The via may be connected with a heat source terminal and extend from the heat source terminal toward a surface of the body opposite the surface on which the heat source terminal is formed. The additional via may connected with an additional heat source terminal. The additional heat source terminal can be formed over the bottom surface of the body and extend from the additional heat source terminal toward a surface of the body opposite the surface on which the additional heat source terminal is formed. For instance, each of the heat source terminal and the additional heat source terminal can be formed over the bottom surface of the body, and each of the via and the additional via can extend from the respective heat source terminal to the top surface of the body. A thin-film component can be formed over the top surface of the body and electrically connected between the via at the top surface and the additional via at the top surface such that the thin-film component is electrically connected between the two heat source terminals.
However, in other embodiments, a conductive trace can be formed over the top surface of the body and can electrically connect the vias at the top surface such that the heat source terminals are electrically connected together by the conductive trace.
As indicated above, the heat sink component can be configured for land grid array type mounting. For example, the plurality of side surfaces can be free of electrically conductive material.
The heat sink component can include one or more thin film components. The thin film component can include one or more of a resistor, varistor, capacitor, inductor, and/or combinations thereof, such as a thin film filter. The thin film components may include one or more layers of conductive materials, dielectric materials, resistive materials, inductive materials, or other materials that are precisely formed using “thin film” technology.
As one example, the heat sink component can include a thin film varistor. The varistor can include barium titanate, zinc oxide, or any other suitable dielectric material. Various additives may be included in the dielectric material, for example, that produce or enhance the voltage-dependent resistance of the dielectric material. For example, in some embodiments, the additives may include oxides of cobalt, bismuth, manganese, or a combination thereof. In some embodiments, the additives may include oxides of gallium, aluminum, antimony, chromium, titanium, lead, barium, nickel, vanadium, tin, or combinations thereof. The dielectric material may be doped with the additive(s) ranging from about 0.5 mole percent to about 3 mole percent, and in some embodiments from about 1 mole percent to about 2 mole percent. The average grain size of the dielectric material may contribute to the non-linear properties of the dielectric material. In some embodiments, the average grain size may range from about 1 micron to 100 microns, in some embodiments, from about 2 microns to 80 microns.
As another example, the thin film component(s) can include a thin film resistor including one or more resistive layers. For example, the resistive layer may include tantalum nitride (TaN), nickel chromium (NiCr), tantalum aluminide, chromium silicon, titanium nitride, titanium tungsten, tantalum tungsten, oxides and/or nitrides of such materials, and/or any other suitable thin film resistive materials. The resistive layer may have any suitable thickness.
As another example, the thin film component(s) can include a thin film capacitor including one or more dielectric layers. As examples, the dielectric layer(s) may include one or more suitable ceramic materials. Example suitable materials include alumina (Al2O3), aluminum nitride (AlN), beryllium oxide (BeO), aluminum oxide (Al2O3), boron nitride (BN), silicon (Si), silicon carbide (SiC), silica (SiO2), silicon nitride (Si3N4), gallium arsenide (GaAs), gallium nitride (GaN), zirconium dioxide (ZrO2), mixtures thereof, oxides and/or nitrides of such materials, or any other suitable ceramic material. Additional example ceramic materials include barium titanate (BaTiO3), calcium titanate (CaTiO3), zinc oxide (ZnO), ceramics containing low-fire glass, or other glass-bonded materials.
The thin film component can include one or more layers having thicknesses ranging from about 0.001 μm to about 1,000 μm, in some embodiments from about 0.01 μm to about 100 μm, in some embodiments from about 0.1 μm to about 50 μm, in some embodiments from about 0.5 μm to about 20 μm. The respective layer(s) of materials forming thin film component may be applied using specialized techniques based on etching, photolithography, PECVD (Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition) processing or other techniques.
The body of the heat sink component may include any suitable material having a generally low thermal resistivity (e.g., less than about 6.67×10−3 m° C./W), and a generally high electrical resistivity (e.g., greater than about 1014 Ω·cm). A thermal resistivity of 6.67×10−3 m° C./W is equivalent with a thermal conductivity of about 150 W/m° C. In other words, suitable materials for the body of the heat sink component may have a generally high thermal conductivity, such as greater than about 150 W/m° C.
For example, in some embodiments, the body of the heat sink component may be made from a material having a thermal conductivity between about 100 W/m° C. and about 300 W/m° C. at about 22° C. In other embodiments, the body of the heat sink component may be made from a material having a thermal conductivity between about 125 W/m° C. and about 250 W/m° C. at about 22° C. In other embodiments, the body of the heat sink component may be made from a material having a thermal conductivity between about 150 W/m° C. and about 200 W/m° C. at about 22° C.
In some embodiments, the body of the heat sink component may comprise aluminum nitride, beryllium oxide, aluminum oxide, boron nitride, silicon nitride, magnesium oxide, zinc oxide, silicon carbide, any suitable ceramic material, and mixtures thereof.
In some embodiments, the body of the heat sink component may comprise aluminum nitride. For example, in some embodiments the body of the heat sink component may be made from any suitable composition including aluminum nitride. In some embodiments, the body of the heat sink component may be made primarily from aluminum nitride. For example, the body of the heat sink component may contain additives or impurities. In other embodiments, the body of the heat sink component comprises beryllium oxide. For example, in some embodiments the body of the heat sink component may be made from any suitable composition including beryllium oxide. In some embodiments, the body of the heat sink component may be made primarily from beryllium oxide. For example, the body of the heat sink component may contain additives or impurities.
Referring to
In some embodiments, a plurality of heat source terminals 110 can be formed over the bottom surface 106 of the body 102 of the heat sink component 100. The heat source terminals 110 can be arranged in a variety of configurations. For example, the heat source terminals 110 can be arranged in a grid or other suitable pattern. The heat source terminals 110 can be arranged in a manner that aligns with heat source terminals of a device (e.g., circuit board, electrical component), to which the heat sink component 100 is configured to be mounted.
Referring to
A first via 216 can extend from the first heat source terminal 204 towards a top surface 218 of the body 202. The first via 216 can connect with a conductive trace 220 formed over the top surface 218 of the body 202. The conductive trace 220 can be configured for connection with another component, for example through a wirebond connection.
A second via 222 can extend from the second heat source terminal 206 to the top surface 218 of the body 202. A conductive trace 223 can connect the conductive trace 220 and first via 216 with the second via 222 such that the first heat source terminal 204 is connected with the second heat source terminal 206.
A third via 224 can extend from the third heat sink terminal 208 to the top surface 218. A fourth via 226 can extend from the fourth heat sink terminal 210 to the top surface 218. A thin-film component 228 can be formed over the top surface 218 of the body 202 and electrically connected between the vias 224, 226 at the top surface 218 such that the thin-film component 228 is electrically connected between the second heat source terminal 208 and the third heat source terminal 210.
The component assembly 300 can include a device 302 comprising a top surface 304 and a plurality of heat source terminals 306 exposed on the top surface 304. One or more heat sink terminals 308 can be exposed on the top surface 304 of the device 302.
The heat sink component 100 can be mounted to the device 302. The heat sink component 100 can generally be configured similarly to the heat sink component 100 of
The device 300 can include a circuit board, a multilayer ceramic component, or other suitable electric device. The terminals 306, 308 of the device 302 can be connected with embedded devices, electrodes, components (e.g., capacitors, resistors, inductors, etc.) within the device 300.
The method can include, at 402, providing a body comprising a thermally conductive material that is electrically non-conductive, the body having a top surface, a bottom surface opposite the top surface, and plurality of side surfaces.
The method can include, at 404, forming a heat source terminal over the bottom surface of the body, the heat source terminal spaced apart from the plurality of side surfaces.
The method can include, at 406, forming a heat sink terminal over the bottom surface of the body, the heat source terminal spaced apart from the plurality of side surfaces.
Applications
The various embodiments of embeddable heat sink components disclosed herein may have a variety of applications.
Example applications include power handling systems and monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC). The heat sink component may facilitate heat flow from terminals of the device that are connected to the heat source terminals of the heat sink device. As examples, various embodiments suitable electrical components can be connected with the terminals of the heat sink component. As examples, the device can include a circuit board (e.g., with embedded components), power amplifier, filter, synthesizer, computer component, power supply, and/or diode, for example. Specific examples of power amplifier types include Gallium Nitride (GaN) power amplifiers, high radio frequency amplifiers, and the like. Examples of diodes which may be suitable for connection with a thermal component, as described herein, may include diodes specifically adapted for use in lasers, among other types of diodes.
These and other modifications and variations of the present invention may be practiced by those of ordinary skill in the art, without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. In addition, it should be understood that aspects of the various embodiments may be interchanged both in whole or in part. Furthermore, those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the foregoing description is by way of example only, and is not intended to limit the invention so further described in such appended claims.
The present application claims filing benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 63/242,068 having a filing date of Sep. 9, 2021, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63242068 | Sep 2021 | US |
