Patent Application
20220262704
The accompanying drawings illustrate a number of exemplary embodiments and are a part of the specification. Together with the following description, these drawings demonstrate and explain various principles of the present disclosure.
Throughout the drawings, identical reference characters and descriptions indicate similar, but not necessarily identical, elements. While the exemplary embodiments described herein are susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments have been shown by way of example in the drawings and will be described in detail herein. However, the exemplary embodiments described herein are not intended to be limited to the particular forms disclosed. Rather, the present disclosure covers all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the appended claims.
As integrated circuit (ICs) designers and fabricators continue to increase the functionality and speed available within a single IC package, the amount of power consumed, and thus the amount of heat dissipated, by the IC continues to increase similarly. Consequently, those ICs that tend to consume the most power, including, but not limited to, central processing units (CPUs), graphics processing units (GPUs), and the like, are traditionally the focus of most IC-specific passive heat mitigation efforts.
Depending on the size of the IC package, the circuit design of the IC, the speed at which the IC is to be operated, and other factors, the maximum amount of heat to be dissipated under a maximum expected workload (often referred to as the “thermal design power” (TDP) of the IC) may indicate whether an IC-specific heat mitigation strategy is required. In some examples, a TDP of at least 150 watts (W) may indicate the need for a passive heat sink. Typically, a heat sink (e.g., fashioned from an aluminum alloy, copper, or other metal) is coupled to a top flat surface of the IC package using a thermal adhesive to maximize heat transfer from the top of the IC package to the heat sink. Further, the heat sink may incorporate a number of fins or similar physical features to increase an amount of surface area of the heat sink. Air flow across the fins of the heat sink may then serve to remove thermal energy from the heat sink to increase the cooling effect of the heat sink on the corresponding IC package. In some examples, this air flow may be provided by way of a separate fan installed in an enclosure that surrounds the IC package and other circuitry, or via an IC-specific fan coupled more directly to the heat sink.
IC packages with higher TDPs, such as those exceeding 400 W, may benefit from the use of a liquid cooling system coupled to a top of the IC package. Such a system may include tubing that carries a liquid (e.g., distilled water) by way of a pump to a metallic device (e.g., a water block) that is coupled to the top of the IC package, as well as a radiator. In operation, the liquid is pumped through the water block (e.g., to extract heat from the IC package) and through the radiator (e.g., to extract the heat from the liquid, possibly assisted by an external fan).
The ability of heat sinks, water blocks, and other devices that may be attached to a top external surface of an IC package to extract a sufficient amount of heat therefrom continues to be challenged, as ICs with increasing TDPs (e.g., 1 kW or more) continue to be proposed and designed.
The present disclosure is generally directed to an IC package with a plurality of microchannels (e.g., channels of a few millimeters in diameter) defined within, with a plurality of flow valves located within the microchannels. Further included within the IC package may be a plurality of sensors (e.g., heat sensors) distributed therein. Control logic, which may be incorporated within the IC package or located external thereto, may individually control the operation of each of the plurality of flow valves based on the signals received from the plurality of sensors to control flow of liquid (e.g., water) through the microchannels to maintain a desired temperature level for the IC. As will be explained in greater detail below, embodiments of the present disclosure may facilitate greater heat extraction than more conventional technologies, thus supporting the use of high-TDP ICs.
Features from any of the embodiments described herein may be used in combination with one another in accordance with the general principles described herein. These and other embodiments, features, and advantages will be more fully understood upon reading the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and claims.
The following will provide, with reference to
As depicted in
While
To facilitate protection of IC die 102 from a variety of environmental conditions, an encapsulation material 114 (e.g., an epoxy that is molded over IC die 102) may be applied over IC die 102, as well as possibly substrate 104 and underfiller 112. Conventionally, passive cooling systems, such as heat sinks, are applied to an external surface of such an encapsulation material to facilitate the cooling of the associated IC package. Instead, as illustrated in
In some embodiments, encapsulation material 114 may define one or more microchannel inlets 204 (e.g., for receiving fluid into encapsulation material 114) and one or more microchannel outlets 206 (e.g., for allowing fluid to exit encapsulation material 114) that couple opposing ends of one or more microchannels 120 to an area or region external to encapsulation material 114. In the particular example of
To control the flow of fluid through microchannels 120, a plurality of flow valves 202 may be located at various locations of microchannels 120. In some examples, flow valves 202 may be binary valves that may assume either a fully open state or a fully closed state. In other embodiments, flow valves may assume partially open states (e.g., 25%, 50%, 75%, etc.), possibly in addition to the fully open and fully closed states.
As depicted in
In the particular example of
Encapsulation material 114, in some examples, may also include space (e.g., pathways) for electrical traces or wires (not shown in
In some embodiments, encapsulation material 114 may be molded, machined, or otherwise processed to form microchannels 120, cavities for sensors 302, and/or other cavities therein. In some examples, a layering process (e.g., three-dimensional printing) in which multiple layers of encapsulation material 114 are deposited upon IC die 102 to facilitate generation of the cavities and microchannels 120. As shown in
In at least some embodiments, cooling system 400 may also include a cooling liquid subsystem 406 for storing, cooling, and/or providing a cooling liquid for transport through IC package 100 via microchannel inlets 204, microchannels 120, and microchannel outlets 206 (and possibly inlet and output manifolds, as mentioned above) to extract heat from IC package 100. Cooling liquid subsystem 406, in some examples, may include a reservoir 412 that stores the cooling liquid, as well as a pump 414 that drives the cooling liquid through microchannels 120 via microchannel inlets 204 and microchannel outlets 206. As indicated above, cooling liquid may include water; however, other liquids with desirable thermal characteristics may be employed in other embodiments. Further, while embodiments discussed herein involve the use of liquids, other fluids (e.g., gases, or fluids that may be employed in both their gaseous and liquid states) may be utilized in other examples. Consequently, a compressor or other components may be included in cooling liquid subsystem 406 in other embodiments. Also, in some examples, cooling liquid subsystem 406 may be coupled to multiple IC packages 100 to facilitate efficient cooling of each IC package 100.
Valve control logic 404, in some examples, may be hardware control logic or a small algorithmic controller executing instructions stored in a memory device. Generally, valve control logic 404 may receive signals from one or more sensors 302 that each indicate a temperature at a location of the corresponding sensor 302 and, based on those signals, operate flow valves 202 (e.g., to extract heat from portions of IC package that exhibit elevated temperatures, as indicated by the signals of sensors 302).
In method 500, at step 510, a signal may be received (e.g., at valve control logic 404) from each sensor of a plurality of sensors (e.g., sensors 302) embedded in an IC package (e.g., IC package 100) indicating a temperature at a location of the sensor. At step 520, each flow valve of a plurality of flow valves (e.g., flow valves 202) that are located in a plurality of microchannels (e.g., microchannels 120) defined in an encapsulation material (e.g., encapsulation material 114) of the IC package that are configured to carry fluid through the encapsulation material may be controlled in response to the signals from the plurality of sensors. Further, in some examples, the receiving of the signals and the controlling of the valves (e.g., setting one or more flow valves fully open, partially open, fully closed, etc.) may be performed continuously, periodically, or repeatedly over at least some length of time.
More specifically, in some embodiments, in response to one or more sensor 302 signals, valve control logic 404 may identify one or more particular locations or areas of IC package 100 that exhibit an elevated temperature or increased heat. In response, valve control logic 404 may control the plurality of flow valves to increase or maximize fluid flow, and thus enhance heat extraction, through those locations or areas. In some embodiments, such maximization of fluid flow at various portions of the IC package 100 may be facilitated in part by reducing fluid flow in other portions of IC package 100 where heat generation is not currently problematic. Using
As explained above in conjunction with
An IC package may include (1) an IC die carrying electronic circuitry, (2) an encapsulation material at least partially covering the IC die, where (a) the encapsulation material defines a plurality of microchannels within the encapsulation material and (b) the plurality of microchannels are configured to carry fluid through the encapsulation material between one or more microchannel inlets and one or more microchannel outlets located at an exterior of the encapsulation material, (3) a plurality of flow valves positioned in the plurality of microchannels, and (4) a plurality of sensors, where each sensor of the plurality of sensors produces a signal indicating a temperature at a location of the sensor.
The IC package of Example 1, where at least some of the plurality of microchannels may be coupled together to form an interconnected microchannel network.
The IC package of either Example 1 or Example 2, where (1) a first subset of the plurality of microchannels may be directed along a first direction parallel to the IC die and (2) a second subset of the plurality of microchannels may be directed along a second direction parallel to the IC die and orthogonal to the first direction.
The IC package of Example 3, where (1) each of the first subset of the plurality of microchannels may intersect with the second subset of the plurality of microchannels to form an interconnected microchannel grid including a plurality of microchannel segments and (2) each microchannel segment of the plurality of microchannel segments may couple two intersections of the first subset and the second subset.
The IC package of Example 4, where the first subset of the plurality of microchannels may be coupled at opposing ends to separate ones of the one or more microchannel inlets and separate ones of the one or more microchannel outlets.
The IC package of Example 4, where each microchannel segment of at least some of the plurality of microchannel segments may incorporate a flow valve of the plurality of flow valves.
The IC package of Example 6, where the plurality of sensors may be arranged in a two-dimensional array parallel to a top surface of the IC die.
The IC package of Example 7, where each of the plurality of sensors may be aligned vertically relative to each intersection of the first subset and the second subset.
The IC package of Example 7, where each of the plurality of sensors may be aligned vertically relative to each microchannel segment of the plurality of microchannel segments.
The IC package of either Example 1 or Example 2, where at least one of the plurality of flow valves may be configured to operate either in a fully open state or in a fully closed state.
The IC package of either Example 1 or Example 2, where at least one of the plurality of flow valves may be configured to operate in at least one partially open state.
A cooling system for an IC package may include (1) a plurality of microchannels defined within an encapsulation material of the IC package, where (a) the encapsulation material at least partially covers an IC die carrying electronic circuitry and (b) the plurality of microchannels are configured to carry fluid through the encapsulation material between one or more microchannel inlets and one or more microchannel outlets located at an exterior of the encapsulation material, (2) a plurality of flow valves positioned in the plurality of microchannels, (3) a pump that pumps fluid through the plurality of microchannels from the one or more microchannel inlets to the one or more microchannel outlets, (4) a plurality of sensors located in the IC package, and (5) valve control logic that (a) receives, from each sensor of the plurality of sensors, a signal indicating a temperature at a location of the sensor and (b) controls, in response to the signals, each flow valve of the plurality of flow valves.
The cooling system of Example 12, where the valve control logic may control the plurality of flow valves to increase fluid flow to at least one area of increased temperature, as indicated by the signals from the plurality of sensors.
The cooling system of either Example 12 or Example 13, where the valve control logic may control the plurality of flow valves to decrease fluid flow to at least one area of decreased temperature, as indicated by the signals from the plurality of sensors.
The cooling system of either Example 12 or Example 13, where the valve control logic may control the plurality of flow valves to create a plurality of separate fluid flows through the plurality of microchannels between the one or more microchannel inlets and the one or more microchannel outlets.
The cooling system of either Example 12 or Example 13, where (1) the one or more microchannel inlets may include a plurality of microchannel inlets, (2) the one or more microchannel outlets may include a plurality of microchannel outlets, and (3) the valve control logic may control the plurality of flow valves to create a plurality of separate fluid flows through the plurality of microchannels, the plurality of microchannel inlets, and the plurality of microchannel outlets.
A method of cooling an IC package may include (1) receiving, from each sensor of a plurality of sensors included in the IC package that includes an IC die carrying electronic circuitry, a signal indicating a temperature at a location of the sensor and (2) controlling each flow valve of a plurality of flow valves located in a plurality of microchannels defined in an encapsulation material at least partially covering the IC die in response to the signals received from the plurality of sensors, where the plurality of microchannels are configured to carry fluid through the encapsulation material between one or more microchannel inlets and one or more microchannel outlets located at an exterior of the encapsulation material.
The method of Example 17, where controlling each flow valve of the plurality of flow valves may include (1) identifying a plurality of areas of the IC package exhibiting increased heat based on the signals and (2) controlling each flow valve of the plurality of flow valves to increase fluid flow in the plurality of microchannels through the plurality of areas.
The method of Example 18, where controlling each flow valve of the plurality of flow valves may further include controlling each flow valve of the plurality of flow valves to decrease fluid flow in the plurality of microchannels through at least one area of the IC package outside the plurality of areas.
The method of Example 18, where controlling each flow valve of the plurality of flow valves may further include controlling each flow valve of the plurality of flow valves to create separate fluid flows between the one or more microchannel inlets and the one or more microchannel outlets for each of the plurality of areas.
The process parameters and sequence of the steps described and/or illustrated herein are given by way of example only and can be varied as desired. For example, while the steps illustrated and/or described herein may be shown or discussed in a particular order, these steps do not necessarily need to be performed in the order illustrated or discussed. The various exemplary methods described and/or illustrated herein may also omit one or more of the steps described or illustrated herein or include additional steps in addition to those disclosed.
The preceding description has been provided to enable others skilled in the art to best utilize various aspects of the exemplary embodiments disclosed herein. This exemplary description is not intended to be exhaustive or to be limited to any precise form disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. The embodiments disclosed herein should be considered in all respects illustrative and not restrictive. Reference should be made to the appended claims and their equivalents in determining the scope of the present disclosure.
Unless otherwise noted, the terms “connected to” and “coupled to” (and their derivatives), as used in the specification and claims, are to be construed as permitting both direct and indirect (i.e., via other elements or components) connection. In addition, the terms “a” or “an,” as used in the specification and claims, are to be construed as meaning “at least one of.” Finally, for ease of use, the terms “including” and “having” (and their derivatives), as used in the specification and claims, are interchangeable with and have the same meaning as the word “comprising.”
