Thermal interconnect systems methods of production and uses thereof
View Patent ↗Layered interface materials described herein include at least one pulse-plated thermally conductive material, such as an interconnect material, and at least one heat spreader component coupled to the at least one pulse-plated thermally conductive material. A plated layered interface material having a migration component is also described herein and includes at least one pulse-plated thermally conductive material; and at least one heat spreader component, wherein the migration component of the plated layered interface material is reduced by at least 51% as compared to the migration component of a reference layered interface material. Another layered interface material described herein includes: a) a thermal conductor; b) a protective layer; c) a layer of material to accept solder and prevent the formation of oxides; and d) a layer of solder material. Methods of forming layered interface materials are described herein that include: a) providing a pulse-plated thermally conductive interface material; b) providing a heat spreader component; and c) physically coupling the thermally conductive interface material and the heat spreader component. At least one additional layer, including a substrate layer, a surface, an adhesive, a compliant fibrous component or any other suitable layer or a thermal interface material, can be coupled to the layered interface material.
1. A method of forming a heat spreader, comprising:
electroplating gold to a heat spreader component for between about 0.1 milliseconds and about 1 milliseconds;
pausing for between about 0.3 milliseconds and about 9 milliseconds; and
repeating the electroplating and pausing cycle until a substantially non-porous layer of gold is formed on the heat spreader component.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising coupling an additional layer to the gold layer.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the heat spreader component comprises silicon, carbon or a combination thereof.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein plating the gold comprises pulsing at an average of about 2.1 amps.
5. The method of claim 1 , comprising a cycle of electroplating for about 1 millisecond and pausing for about 9 milliseconds.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the cycle lasts about 8 seconds.
7. The method of claim 1 , comprising a cycle of electroplating for about 0.5 milliseconds per 10 amps anodic and pausing for about 2 milliseconds.
8. The method of claim 1 comprising a cycle of electroplating for about 0.1 millisecond and pausing for about 3 milliseconds.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the cycle lasts about 5 seconds.
10. The method of claim 1 , comprising a cycle of electroplating at an average of about 2.1 amps for about 0.3 millisecond and pausing for about 0.3 milliseconds.
11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the cycle lasts about 15 seconds.
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the layer of metal-based thermally conductive material is less than about 500 nm thick.
13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the layer of metal-based thermally conductive material is less than about 100 nm thick.
14. A method of forming a layered heat spreader, comprising:
electroplating a substantially non-porous thermally conductive layer of gold onto a heat spreader component by applying an intermittent electrical pulse until the thermally conductive layer has a thickness of between about 0.1 μm and about 1 μm.
15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the thermally conductive layer has a thickness of between about 0.5 μm and about 1 μm.