Metallic thermal interface materials and associated devices, systems, and methods
A heat-transfer component defines a thermal-interface surface and has a composite thermal-interface material bonded to the thermal-interface surface. The composite thermal-interface material comprises a particulate filler material dispersed within a metallic carrier material having a solid-to-liquid phase-change temperature between about 60° C. and about 90° C. With a thermal-interface material bonded to the thermal-interface surface, the thermal-contact resistance between the thermal-interface material and the heat-transfer component can be reduced or substantially eliminated compared to conventional thermal-interface materials, including conventional metallic thermal-interface materials. The particulate filler material can have a higher bulk thermal conductivity than that of the metallic carrier material and can be wetted by the metallic carrier material, providing a bulk thermal conductivity of the composite thermal-interface material that is higher than that of the carrier material without the particulate filler material. Also disclosed are electrical devices having a heat generating component cooled by such a heat-transfer component.
1 . A heat-transfer component comprising:
a surface configured to be positioned at a thermal interface (“thermal-interface surface”); and
a composite thermal-interface material comprising a metallic carrier material and a particulate filler material, the particulate filler material having a higher bulk thermal conductivity than the metallic carrier material, the composite thermal-interface material bonded to the thermal-interface surface, the metallic carrier material having a solidus-to-liquidus transition temperature between about 60° C. and about 90° C.;
wherein the metallic carrier material is a non-eutectic mixture of Bismuth, Indium, Tin and Gallium; and
wherein the metallic carrier has less than about 10% (weight) Gallium.
2 . The heat-transfer component according to claim 1 , wherein the particulate filler material comprises an alloy of copper.
3 . A heat-transfer component comprising:
a surface configured to be positioned at a thermal interface (“thermal-interface surface”); and
a composite thermal-interface material comprising a metallic carrier material and a particulate filler material, the particulate filler material having a higher bulk thermal conductivity than the metallic carrier material, the composite thermal-interface material bonded to the thermal-interface surface, the metallic carrier material having a solidus-to-liquidus transition temperature between about 60° C. and about 90° C.;
wherein the metallic carrier material is a non-eutectic mixture of Bismuth, Indium, Tin and Gallium; and
wherein the solidus-to-liquidus transition temperature of the metallic carrier material is less than about 90° C. and the liquidus-to-solidus transition temperature of the metallic carrier material is above about 70° C.
4 . The heat-transfer component according to claim 3 , wherein the particulate filler material comprises an alloy of copper.
5 . A heat-transfer component comprising:
a surface configured to be positioned at a thermal interface (“thermal-interface surface”); and
a composite thermal-interface material comprising a metallic carrier material and a particulate filler material, the particulate filler material having a higher bulk thermal conductivity than the metallic carrier material, the composite thermal-interface material bonded to the thermal-interface surface, the metallic carrier material having a solidus-to-liquidus transition temperature between about 60° C. and about 90° C., wherein:
the heat-transfer component is an integrated heat spreader configured to overlie an integrated-circuit die,
the thermal-interface surface is a first major surface of the integrated heat spreader,
the integrated heat spreader defines a second major surface positioned opposite the thermal-interface surface,
the second major surface is configured to face the integrated-circuit die, and
the first major surface is configured to face a device configured to transfer heat from one medium to another medium (“heat-removal device”).
6 . The heat-transfer component according to claim 5 , wherein the particulate filler material comprises an alloy of copper.
7 . The heat-transfer component according to claim 5 , wherein the metallic carrier material is a eutectic mixture of Bismuth, Indium, Tin and Gallium.
8 . The heat-transfer component according to claim 7 , wherein the solidus-to-liquidus transition temperature is about 60° C., about 70° C., about 80° C., or about 90° C.
9 . A heat-transfer component comprising:
a surface configured to be positioned at a thermal interface (“thermal-interface surface”); and
a composite thermal-interface material comprising a metallic carrier material and a particulate filler material, the particulate filler material having a higher bulk thermal conductivity than the metallic carrier material, the composite thermal-interface material bonded to the thermal-interface surface, the metallic carrier material having a solidus-to-liquidus transition temperature between about 60° C. and about 90° C., wherein:
the heat-transfer component is a device configured to transfer heat from one medium to another medium (“heat-removal device”), the heat-removal device being configured to dissipate heat received from heat-generating electronic component,
the heat-removal device has a base and the thermal-interface surface being a first major surface of the base,
the base further defining a second major surface opposite the first major surface,
the heat-removal device further comprising a plurality of fins extending from the second major surface.
10 . The heat-transfer component according to claim 9 , wherein the metallic carrier material is a eutectic mixture of Bismuth, Indium, Tin and Gallium.
11 . The heat-transfer component according to claim 10 , wherein the solidus-to-liquidus transition temperature is about 60° C., about 70° C., about 80° C., or about 90° C.
12 . The heat-transfer component according to claim 9 , wherein the particulate filler material comprises an alloy of copper.
13 . An electrical device comprising:
a heat-generating component defining a first surface configured to be positioned at a thermal interface (“thermal-interface surface”);
a heat-transfer component defining a second thermal-interface surface; and
a composite thermal-interface material bonded to the second thermal-interface surface, the composite thermal-interface material comprising a metallic carrier material and a particulate filler material, the metallic carrier material having a solidus-to-liquidus transition temperature between about 60° C. and about 90° C., wherein the metallic carrier material is a non-eutectic mixture of Bismuth, Indium, Tin and Gallium and has less than about 10% (weight) Gallium.
14 . The electrical device according to claim 13 , wherein the particulate filler material comprises an alloy of copper.
15 . The electrical device according to claim 13 , wherein the heat-generating component is an electronic processing unit, an electrical storage battery, or both.
16 . An electrical device comprising:
a heat-generating component defining a first surface configured to be positioned at a thermal interface (“thermal-interface surface”);
a heat-transfer component defining a second thermal-interface surface; and
a composite thermal-interface material bonded to the second thermal-interface surface, the composite thermal-interface material comprising a metallic carrier material and a particulate filler material, the metallic carrier material having a solidus-to-liquidus transition temperature between about 60° C. and about 90° C., wherein:
the metallic carrier material is a non-eutectic mixture of Bismuth, Indium, Tin and Gallium,
the solidus-to-liquidus transition temperature of the metallic carrier material is less than about 90° C. and the liquidus-to-solidus transition temperature of the metallic carrier material is above about 70° C.
17 . The electrical device according to claim 16 , wherein the heat-generating component is an electronic processing unit, an electrical storage battery, both.
18 . An electrical device comprising:
a heat-generating component defining a first surface configured to be positioned at a thermal interface (“thermal-interface surface”);
a heat-transfer component defining a second thermal-interface surface; and
a composite thermal-interface material bonded to the second thermal-interface surface, the composite thermal-interface material comprising a metallic carrier material and a particulate filler material, the metallic carrier material having a solidus-to-liquidus transition temperature between about 60° C. and about 90° C., wherein:
the heat-transfer component is an integrated heat spreader configured to overlie an integrated-circuit die,
the thermal-interface surface is a first major surface of the integrated heat spreader,
the integrated heat spreader defines a second major surface positioned opposite the thermal-interface surface,
the second major surface is configured to face the integrated-circuit die and the first major surface is configured to face a device configured to transfer heat from one medium to another medium (“heat-removal device”).
19 . The electrical device according to claim 18 , wherein the metallic carrier material is a eutectic mixture of Bismuth, Indium, Tin and Gallium.
20 . The electrical device according to claim 19 , wherein the solidus-to-liquidus transition temperature is about 60° C., about 70° C., about 80° C., or about 90° C.
21 . The electrical device according to claim 18 , wherein the heat-generating component is an electronic processing unit, an electrical storage battery, or both.
22 . The electrical device according to claim 18 , wherein the metallic carrier material is a non-eutectic mixture of Bismuth, Indium, Tin and Gallium.
23 . An electrical device comprising:
a heat-generating component defining a first surface configured to be positioned at a thermal interface (“thermal-interface surface”);
a heat-transfer component defining a second thermal-interface surface; and
a composite thermal-interface material bonded to the second thermal-interface surface, the composite thermal-interface material comprising a metallic carrier material and a particulate filler material, the metallic carrier material having a solidus-to-liquidus transition temperature between about 60° C. and about 90° C., wherein:
the heat-transfer component is a device configured to transfer heat from one medium to another medium (“heat-removal device”) configured to dissipate heat received from heat-generating electronic component,
the heat-removal device has a base and the thermal-interface surface is a first major surface of the base,
the base further defines a second major surface opposite the first major surface, and
the heat-removal device further comprises a plurality of fins extending from the second major surface.
24 . The electrical device according to claim 23 , wherein the metallic carrier material is a eutectic mixture of Bismuth, Indium, Tin and Gallium.
25 . The electrical device according to claim 24 , wherein the solidus-to-liquidus transition temperature is about 60° C., about 70° C., about 80° C., or about 90° C.
26 . The electrical device according to claim 23 , wherein the metallic carrier material is a non-eutectic mixture of Bismuth, Indium, Tin and Gallium.
27 . The electrical device according to claim 23 , wherein the heat-generating component is an electronic processing unit, an electrical storage battery, or both.