Fluid cooled encapsulated microelectronic package
View Patent ↗An encapsulated microelectronic package includes a fluid conducting cooling tube directly coupled to one or more semiconductor chips, with the encapsulant being molded over the semiconductor chips and portions of the cooling tube in proximity to the semiconductor chips. The encapsulant immobilizes the cooling tube with respect to the semiconductor chips, and the cooling tube and encapsulant are designed to minimize differences in their coefficients of thermal expansion relative to the semiconductor chips.
1. A microelectronic package, comprising:
a first semiconductor chip;
a fluid-carrying cooling tube disposed in proximity to a first surface of said first semiconductor chip;
a thermally conductive bonding material directly electrically interconnecting said cooling tube and the first surface of said first semiconductor chip, mechanically and thermally bonding said cooling tube to said first surface; and
a plastic encapsulant molded over said first semiconductor chip and portions of said cooling tube in proximity to said chip.
2. The microelectronic package of claim 1 , wherein said cooling tube is copper and said thermally conductive bonding material is indium solder.
3. A microelectronic package, comprising:
a first semiconductor chip;
a fluid-carrying cooling tube disposed in proximity to a first surface of said first semiconductor chip;
a thermally conductive bonding material disposed between said cooling tube and the first surface of said first semiconductor chip, thermally bonding said cooling tube to said first surface; and
a plastic encapsulant molded over said first semiconductor chip and portions of said cooling tube in proximity to said chip,
wherein said first surface of said first semiconductor chip is an active surface, and said cooling tube is utilized as an electrical terminal of said first semiconductor chip.
4. A microelectronic package, comprising:
a first semiconductor chip;
a fluid-carrying cooling tube disposed in proximity to a first surface of said first semiconductor chip;
a thermally conductive bonding material disposed between said cooling tube and the first surface of said first semiconductor chip, thermally bonding said cooling tube to said first surface; and
a plastic encapsulant molded over said first semiconductor chip and portions of said cooling tube in proximity to said chip,
wherein said first surface of said first semiconductor chip is an active surface, and said microelectronic package comprises:
a shunt element disposed adjacent said semiconductor chip and electrically coupled to said cooling tube to form an electrical circuit including said first surface, said cooling tube and said shunt element.
5. The microelectronic package of claim 4 , where said shunt element is a copper slug soldered to said cooling tube and to a terminal of said package.
6. A microelectronic package, comprising:
a first semiconductor chip;
a fluid-carrying cooling tube disposed in proximity to a first surface of said first semiconductor chip;
a thermally conductive bonding material disposed between said cooling tube and the first surface of said first semiconductor chip, thermally bonding said cooling tube to said first surface; and
a plastic encapsulant molded over said first semiconductor chip and portions of said cooling tube in proximity to said chip,
wherein said first surface of said first semiconductor chip is an active surface, and said microelectronic package further comprises:
a second semiconductor chip having a first active surface; and
said fluid-carrying cooling tube includes a first electrically conductive segment thermally bonded to the first surface of said first semiconductor chip, a second electrically conductive segment thermally bonded to the first surface of said second semiconductor chip, and an electrically non-conductive joint coupling said first and second segments to permit fluid transfer therebetween while providing electrical isolation between said first and second semiconductor chips.
7. The microelectronic package of claim 6 , wherein said joint is a thermoplastic tube.
8. The microelectronic package of claim 6 , wherein said joint is a void in said encapsulant between said first and second electrically conductive segments.