Piezoelectric cooling of a semiconductor package
In one embodiment, the present invention includes a semiconductor package having a plurality of fan blades embedded within a first surface of the package, where a first group of the fan blades extend from a first side of the package and a second group of the fan blades extend from a second side of semiconductor package. The fan blades may be powered by piezoelectric devices to cause motion of the fan blades. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
1. An apparatus comprising:
a semiconductor device including at least one semiconductor die;
a plurality of fan blades adapted to a first surface of the semiconductor device, wherein a first group of the plurality of fan blades extend from a first side of the semiconductor device and a second group of the plurality of fan blades extend from a second side of the semiconductor device; and
a plurality of piezoelectric devices each coupled to one of the plurality of fan blades to cause vibration thereof.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of piezoelectric devices each comprises a piezoelectric patch to deform when a voltage is applied across the piezoelectric patch and to return to an original shape when the voltage is removed.
3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein each fan blade of the plurality of fan blades is to vibrate out of phase with two fan blades adjacent thereto.
4. The apparatus of claim 3 , further comprising a phase shifted power source to power the plurality of fan blades.
5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the plurality of fan blades are controlled to cause incoming airflow from at least a third side of the semiconductor device substantially perpendicular to the first and second sides, and cause outgoing airflow from the first and second sides and the first surface of the semiconductor device.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the semiconductor device is mounted on a horizontal circuit board and the plurality of fan blades are embedded within a horizontal surface of the semiconductor device.
7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the plurality of fan blades are to vibrate in a substantially vertical orientation.
8. A system comprising:
a plurality of circuit boards coupled to a backplane, the plurality of circuit boards in a first orientation; and
a first semiconductor device coupled to one of the plurality of circuit boards, the first semiconductor device having a plurality of fan blades coupled thereto to vibrate in a second orientation, the second orientation substantially perpendicular to the first orientation, wherein each fan blade of the plurality of fan blades is to vibrate out of phase with two fan blades adjacent thereto.
9. The system of claim 8 , wherein a first group of the plurality of fan blades extend from a first side of the first semiconductor device and a second group of the fan blades extend from a second side of the first semiconductor device.
10. The system of claim 9 , further comprising a plurality of piezoelectric devices each coupled to one of the plurality of fan blades, each of the plurality of piezoelectric devices comprising a piezoelectric patch to deform when provided with a voltage.
11. The system of claim 8 , further comprising a phase shifted power source to power the plurality of fan blades.
12. The system of claim 9 , wherein the first semiconductor device is located on the circuit board above at least one processor, and wherein the plurality of fan blades are to dissipate at least some heat generated by the at least one processor.
13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the plurality of fan blades are controlled to cause incoming airflow from the direction of the at least one processor to become outgoing airflow from the first and second sides and the first surface of the first semiconductor device.
14. The system of claim 12 , wherein the system comprises a blade system.
15. An apparatus comprising:
a semiconductor package including at least one semiconductor die; and
a plurality of fan blades adapted to a first surface of the semiconductor package, wherein a first group of the plurality of fan blades extend from a first side of the semiconductor package and a second group of the plurality of fan blades extend from a second side of the semiconductor package, each of the plurality of fan blades having a piezoelectric material associated therewith to cause vibration when provided with a voltage.
16. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the piezoelectric material comprises a piezoelectric patch to deform when the voltage is applied across the piezoelectric patch and to return to an original shape when the voltage is removed.
17. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein each fan blade of the plurality of fan blades is to vibrate out of phase with two fan blades adjacent thereto.
18. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the semiconductor package includes a multi-core processor.
19. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the semiconductor package includes a phase shifted power source coupled to the piezoelectric material.