Topside air cooling of electronic packages
The semiconductor chip includes a semiconductor substrate having a surface, a circuit formed on the surface, and a plurality of pillars coupled to the surface adjacent to the circuit. The plurality of pillars is thermally conductive and is thermally coupled to the circuit so as to dissipate heat generated by the circuit. The semiconductor substrate, circuit, and plurality of pillars are integral parts of the integrated semiconductor chip. A method of fabricating the integrated semiconductor chip includes providing a semiconductor substrate having a surface. The method includes forming a circuit on the surface, and forming a plurality of pillars thermally coupled to the surface adjacent to the circuit.
1. An integrated semiconductor chip, comprising:
a semiconductor substrate having a surface;
a first circuit integrated at least partially into a first circuit area of the surface;
a plurality of pillars integrally coupled onto the surface, the plurality of pillars being adjacent to and at least partially surrounding, the first circuit area of the surface, wherein the plurality of pillars are thermally conductive and are thermally coupled to the first circuit so as to dissipate heat generated by the first circuit during use;
a second circuit integrated at least partially into a second circuit area of the surface; and
a pillar wall integrally coupled onto the surface between the first circuit area and the second circuit area, wherein the pillar wall has a length greater than a length of the second circuit to at least partially block air flow that carries the heat generated by the first circuit during use;
wherein the semiconductor substrate, the first circuit, and the plurality of pillars are integral parts of the integrated semiconductor chip.
2. The integrated semiconductor chip of claim 1 , further comprising:
one or more additional pillars formed on top of the first circuit for dissipating the heat generated by the first circuit.
3. The integrated semiconductor chip of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first plurality of contact pads formed on the surface, wherein each contact pad of the first plurality of contact pads is disposed between the surface and a respective pillar of the plurality of pillars.
4. The integrated semiconductor chip of claim 3 , wherein the first plurality of contact pads include a ground contact pad that is electrically coupled to a ground of the first circuit.
5. The integrated semiconductor chip of claim 3 , further comprising:
an intermediate pad disposed between two of the first plurality of contact pads, wherein the two of the first plurality of contact pads are physically and electrically coupled to one another via a metal bridge that is disposed over the intermediate pad, and the metal bridge is electrically isolated from the intermediate pad.
6. The integrated semiconductor chip of claim 5 , wherein the plurality of pillars further includes a respective pillar disposed directly on top of the intermediate pad, and the respective pillar is situated on the metal bridge.
7. The integrated semiconductor chip of claim 5 , wherein the two of the plurality of contact pads are electrically coupled to a ground of the first circuit, and the intermediate pad is coupled to a circuit signal distinct from the ground.
8. The integrated semiconductor chip of claim 1 , further comprising:
a second plurality of contact pads formed on the surface and including a ground contact pad electrically coupled to a ground of the first circuit.
9. The integrated semiconductor chip of claim 8 , further comprising:
a plurality of electrodes, each electrode of the plurality of electrodes being electrically conductive and disposed on a respective contact pad of the second plurality of contact pads;
wherein the plurality of electrodes have a predefined electrode height and is configured to electrically couple the first circuit to an external circuit, the predefined electrode height being greater than a predefined pillar height of the plurality of pillars.
10. The integrated semiconductor chip of claim 9 , wherein the semiconductor substrate includes a first substrate and a second substrate, wherein the second substrate is flip-chip coupled to the first substrate via the plurality of electrodes.
11. The integrated semiconductor chip of claim 8 , wherein the second plurality of contact pads further comprise an input contact pad configured to provide an input signal to the first circuit and an output contact pad configured to output an output signal of the first circuit.
12. The integrated semiconductor chip of claim 1 , wherein each pillar of the plurality of pillars has a respective aspect ratio that is equal to or greater than 10.
13. The integrated semiconductor chip of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of pillars include a first plurality of pillars, and the integrated semiconductor chip further comprises:
a second plurality of pillars coupled to the surface adjacent to the second circuit, wherein the second plurality of pillars are thermally conductive and thermally coupled to the second circuit so as to at least partially absorb and dissipate the heat generated by the first circuit and protect the second circuit from the heat generated by the first circuit.
14. The integrated semiconductor chip of claim 13 , wherein the second plurality of pillars include the pillar wall.
15. The integrated semiconductor chip of claim 1 , wherein the surface includes a first surface, and the plurality of pillars include a first plurality of pillars, and the integrated semiconductor chip further comprises:
a third plurality of pillars formed on a second surface of the semiconductor substrate, the second surface opposite the first surface.
16. The integrated semiconductor chip of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of pillars are made of copper.
17. The integrated semiconductor chip of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of pillars coupled to the surface adjacent to and at least partially surrounding the first circuit comprises one or more pillars at one or more sides of the first circuit.
18. A method, comprising:
providing a semiconductor substrate having a surface;
integrating a first circuit at least partially into a first circuit area of the surface; and
integrating a plurality of pillars onto the surface, the plurality of pillars being adjacent to and at least partially surrounding the first circuit area of the surface, wherein the plurality of pillars are thermally conductive and thermally coupled to the first circuit so as to dissipate heat generated by the first circuit during use;
integrating a second circuit integrated at least partially into a second circuit area of the surface; and
providing a pillar wall integrally coupled onto the surface between the first circuit area and the second circuit area, wherein the pillar wall has a length greater than a length of the second circuit to at least partially block air flow that carries the heat generated by the first circuit;
wherein the semiconductor substrate, the first circuit, and the plurality of pillars are integral parts of an integrated semiconductor chip.
19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the plurality of pillars include a first plurality of pillars, the method further comprising:
providing a second plurality of pillars integrally coupled onto the surface, the second plurality of pillars being adjacent, and at least partially surrounding, the second circuit area of the surface, wherein the second plurality of pillars are configured to direct a coolant flow carrying the heat generated by the first circuit away from the second circuit.
20. The method of claim 18 , wherein integrating the first circuit on the surface further comprises:
applying semiconductor fabrication techniques to monolithically integrate an integrated circuit at least partially into the first circuit area of the surface of the semiconductor substrate.