Localized microelectronic cooling
An apparatus and associated method to provide localized cooling to a microelectronic device are generally described. In this regard, according to one example embodiment, a cooling system comprising one or more thermoelectric cooler(s) is thermally coupled to a heat spreader to provide cooling to one or more hot spot(s) of a microelectronic device.
1. A cooling apparatus comprising:
a heat spreader; and
one or more thermoelectric cooler(s) thermally coupled to the heat spreader to provide cooling to one or more hot spot(s) of a microelectronic device, wherein a cold side of the one or more thermoelectric cooler(s) is thermally coupled to the one or more hot spot(s) of a microelectronic device and a hot side of the one or more thermoelectric cooler(s) is thermally coupled to the heat spreader.
2. A cooling apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the heat spreader comprises one or more insulative region(s) to prevent circulation of some heat generated by the microelectronic device back to the microelectronic device.
3. A cooling apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the one or more insulative regions(s) substantially surround the heat spreader region adjacent to the one or more thermoelectric cooler(s).
4. A cooling apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the one or more insulative region(s) comprise an inserted material that is less thermally conductive than the material of the heat spreader.
5. A cooling apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the one or more insulative region(s) comprise an air gap.
6. A cooling apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the heat spreader is an integral heat spreader.
7. A cooling apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the heat spreader is a heat sink.
8. A cooling apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the heat spreader is a heat pipe.
9. A cooling apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the microelectronic device is a die.
10. A cooling apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more thermoelectric cooler(s) are thermally coupled to the heat spreader by direct attachment.
11. A cooling apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more thermoelectric cooler(s) are thermally coupled to the heat spreader by solder attachment.
12. A cooling apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the solder attachment comprises an Indium-based alloy.
13. A method comprising:
receiving a heat spreader;
creating one or more insulative region(s) into a heat spreader to substantially surround a heat spreader region adjacent to one or more thermoelectric cooler(s); and
thermally coupling the one or more thermoelectric cooler(s) to the heat spreader.
14. A method according to claim 13 , wherein creating one or more insulative region(s) comprises stamping an air gap into the heat spreader.
15. A method according to claim 13 , wherein creating one or more insulative region(s) comprises inserting an insulative material with a thermal conductivity lower than the thermal conductivity of the heat spreader into the heat spreader.
16. A method according to claim 15 , wherein inserting an insulative material comprises:
stamping an insulative material into the heat spreader.
17. A method according to claim 15 , wherein inserting an insulative material comprises:
inserting an interlocking part of insulative material into a heat spreader with corresponding space for such interlocking part.
18. A method according to claim 13 , wherein thermally coupling one or more thermoelectric cooler(s) to a heat spreader comprises:
thermally coupling a hot side of the one or more thermoelectric cooler(s) to a heat spreader.
19. A method according to claim 18 , further comprising:
thermally coupling a cold side of the one or more thermoelectric cooler(s) to one or more hot spot(s) of a microelectronic device.
20. A method according to claim 13 , wherein thermally coupling one or more thermoelectric cooler(s) to a heat spreader comprises a direct attachment method.
21. A method according to claim 13 , wherein thermally coupling one or more thermoelectric cooler(s) to a heat spreader comprises a solder attachment method.
22. A method according to claim 21 , wherein a solder attachment method comprises using an Indium-based alloy.
23. A cooling system comprising:
a heat spreader;
one or more thermoelectric cooler(s) thermally coupled to the heat spreader to provide cooling to one or more hot spot(s) of a microelectronic device; and
another device electrically coupled to the microelectronic device ,wherein the another device comprises a microelectronic die.
24. A cooling apparatus according to claim 23 , wherein the heat spreader comprises one or more insulative region(s) to prevent circulation of some heat generated by the microelectronic device back to the microelectronic device.
25. A cooling apparatus according to claim 24 , wherein the one or more insulative region(s) comprise an inserted material that is less thermally conductive than the material of the heat spreader.
26. A cooling apparatus according to claim 24 , wherein the one or more insulative region(s) comprise an air gap.
27. A cooling apparatus according to claim 23 , wherein the heat spreader is an integral heat spreader.
28. A cooling apparatus according to claim 23 , wherein the microelectronic device is a microelectronic die.
29. A cooling apparatus according to claim 23 , wherein the one or more thermoelectric cooler(s) are thermally coupled to the heat spreader by direct attachment.
30. A cooling apparatus according to claim 23 , wherein the one or more thermoelectric cooler(s) are thermally coupled to the heat spreader by solder attachment.
31. A cooling system according to claim 23 , wherein a cold side of the one or more thermoelectric cooler(s) is thermally coupled to the one or more hot spot(s) of a microelectronic device and a hot side of the one or more thermoelectric cooler(s) is thermally coupled to the heat spreader.