The present invention is illustrated by way of example and not limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings, in which like references indicate similar elements, and in which:
A mechanical enabling solution for package substrates featuring a decoupling assembly is described. For an embodiment, a decoupling assembly is disposed between a semiconductor package and a circuit board. For the embodiment, a decoupling assembly engages in response to a stimulus (or stimuli) such that a semiconductor die is de-coupled from a socket and a circuit board. Under temperate conditions, however, the decoupling assembly is disengaged and a semiconductor die remains in a socket disposed on a circuit board. For other embodiments, a semiconductor package features a decoupling assembly. For these embodiments, the decoupling assembly engages in response to a stimulus (or stimuli) such that a semiconductor die is de-coupled from a package substrate. For an embodiment, a decoupling assembly includes a clamping device, springs, and shape memory alloy rods. For embodiments, shape memory alloy rods are actuators that may generate motion to a pre-programmed shape and/or apply force when thermally excited. Upon the condition that thermal excitation or other stimuli are removed, the shape memory alloy rods tend to return to their original shape, thus relieving a load or motion generated.
For embodiments, the mechanical enabling solution described improves microprocessor performance during periods of shock and vibration while also improving the performance of a thermal interface material (TIM). The performance of thermal interface materials (TIM) may be improved to reduce solder creep. In addition to performance improvements, significant form-factor and weight reduction can be achieved which further increases the number of applications to use high performance processors.
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Decoupling assembly 120 engages upon a threshold stimulus such as, but not limited to, thermal excitation, shock, or vibration. The aforementioned stimuli are typical conditions during the normal operation of a computing system and may be the source of multiple failure mechanisms therein. For an embodiment, decoupling assembly 120 engages in response to a thermal excitation stimulus that exceeds approximately 125° C. For another embodiment, decoupling assembly 120 engages in response to a shock stimulus that exceeds 50 G of board level mechanical shock. For other embodiments, decoupling assembly 120 engages in response to a vibration stimulus that exceeds 3.13 G RMS board level random vibration. Decoupling assembly 120 can engage in response to a combination of one or more of the aforementioned stimuli.
Additionally, while decoupling assembly 120 is engaged, actuators 110 obtain a new length 112. For an embodiment, length 112 is greater than length 111 because the length of actuators 110 elongates when decoupling assembly 120 is engages and contracts when decoupling assembly disengages 120. Accordingly, when decoupling assembly 120 is engaged length 112 of actuators 110 may range from 0 to 2.0 mm longer than the length 111 of actuators 110 when decoupling assembly 120 is disengaged.
The width of actuators 110 can also change while decoupling assembly 120 cycles from an engaged to a disengaged state (and vice versa). For example, the width of actuators 110 expands while decoupling assembly 120 disengages and contracts while decoupling assembly 120 engages.
In addition to the dimensions of actuators 110 changing while decoupling assembly 120 engages and disengages, the length of spring 107 may also change. For example, the length of spring 107 gets longer as decoupling assembly 120 engages. Furthermore, when decoupling assembly 120 is disengaged, spring 107 may be nominally compressed depending on the cumulative mass of semiconductor die 103, package substrate 119, thermal interface material 109, integrated heat spreader 102, and other enabling and/or non-enabling components coupled to decoupling assembly 120. In addition to the cumulative mass enabling and non-enabling components, the spring constant of spring 107 also contributes to the compression.
For the embodiment shown in
For an embodiment, actuator 502 facilitates coupling a semiconductor die to a package substrate or coupling a package substrate to a circuit board. In response to a stimulus, the length of actuator 502 shortens or elongates, which either couples or decouples a semiconductor die to a substrate or a semiconductor package to a circuit board. For various embodiments, actuator 502 responds to a thermal, shock, or a vibration stimulus. For embodiments when actuator 502 responds to a thermal stimulus at a temperature greater than or equal to approximately 125° C., actuator 502 elongates to a pre-programmed length and shape to provide a force and shortens once the temperature falls below approximately 120° C. Typically, the temperature of actuator 502 is within ±5° C. of a semiconductor package or a semiconductor die coupled to a decoupling assembly.
For other embodiments, actuator 502 responds to a shock or vibration stimulus such that actuator 502 shortens or elongates to a pre-determined level. Actuator 502 can improve processor performance during intermittent periods of shock and vibration while also improving the performance of a thermal interface material (TIM) by reducing TIM solder creep. For an embodiment, actuator 502 expands upon sensing a shock of 50 G and a level of vibration that exceeds 3.13 G. For embodiments, the level of shock experienced by actuator 502 closely matches the level of shock experienced by a semiconductor package or a semiconductor die coupled to a decoupling assembly.
For yet other embodiments, actuator 502 responds to a hybrid thermal/shock stimulus. For these embodiments, actuator 502 expands upon sensing a threshold temperature of 125° C. in addition to a threshold shock level of 50 G.
For embodiments, actuator 502 is a collection of shaped memory alloy wires that couples or decouples a semiconductor die to/from a package substrate or couples or decouples a semiconductor package from a circuit board. For these embodiments, actuator 502 configures to an austenite state when engaged and configures to a martensitic state when disengaged. Additionally, actuator 502 formed from a collection of shaped memory alloy wires can generate motion to a pre-programmed shape and apply a force when stimulated. For embodiments, each actuator 502 formed from a collection of shaped memory alloy wires can withstand a force of at least 70 N. Conventional semiconductor packages have a pre-load of approximately 300 N. Accordingly, five decoupling assemblies should be sufficient to support conventional semiconductor packages. For various embodiments, semiconductor packages have 4 to 10 decoupling assemblies disposed within. For other embodiments, 4 to 10 decoupling assemblies are disposed between a semiconductor package and a circuit board. The decoupling assemblies can be fixed on the perimeter, center, and/or interior areas of a package substrate and an integrated heat spreader.
Actuator 502 has a shape that complements the shape of spring 503 to accommodate fitting actuator 502 within spring 503. For an embodiment, both actuator 502 and spring 503 have a concentric shape. For the embodiment when actuator 502 has a concentric shape, the diameter of actuator 502 is approximately 40 microns. For other embodiments, actuator 502 and spring 503 may have non-concentric shapes, however, so long as actuator 502 fits within an interior of spring 503.
In the foregoing specification, the invention has been described with reference to specific exemplary embodiments thereof. It will be evident that various modifications may be made thereto without departing from the broader spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims. The specification and drawings are, accordingly, to be regarded in an illustrative sense rather than a restrictive sense.