Present and future thermal interface materials for electronic devices

Abstract

Packaging electronic devices is a growing challenge as device performance and power levels escalate. As device feature sizes decrease, ensuring reliable operation becomes a challenge. Ensuring effective heat transfer from an integrated circuit and its heat spreader to a heat sink is a vital step in meeting this challenge. The projected power density and junction-toambient thermal resistance for high-performance chips at the 14 nm generation are >100 Wcm −2 and <0.2 °CW −1 , respectively. The main bottleneck in reducing the net thermal resistance are the thermal resistances of the thermal interface material (TIM). This review evaluates the current state of the art of TIMs. Here, the theory of thermal surface interaction will be addressed and the practicalities of the measurement techniques and the reliability of TIMs will be discussed. Furthermore, the next generation of TIMs will be discussed in terms of potential thermal solutions in the realisation of Internet of Things.

Thermal Transport in Conductive Polymer–Based Materials

“…The needs for energy consumption and dissipation have triggered condensed interests in nanoscale materials and devices that hold potential applications for better energy conversion and harvesting. An example is the integrated electronic circuits in which power dissipating issue has recently become the bottleneck . With further miniaturization of modern electronics, the high power energy accumulated heat waste has increased the operating temperature to a high level where thermal management and heat dissipation become crucial for the performance of the devices .…”

Allotrope carbon materials in thermal interface materials and fuel cell applications: A review

“…A good TIMs candidate should possess properties of high thermal conductivity, providing good surface contact, low thermal internal resistance, and good mechanical properties. The application of TIMs is leaned toward the exploration of nanomaterials, such as CNTs and graphene . In this study, CNTs, graphene, and graphite are highlighted.…”

“…The coating technique that cover on top of VACNT before complete the TIMs assembly has gained attention from other researchers when dealing with VACNT and found that the coating will help on reducing thermal contact resistance, increasing surface contact between VACNT and heat sink, and maintaining the optimum thermal conductivity . In addition, the reliability of the thermal performance of TIMs is an important factor to be considered.…”

“…The excellent and special properties of graphene have led to outstanding performance in nanomaterials toward various nanofield applications, particularly in nanotechnology. These structures contain carbon atoms in single layer formation (graphene) called nanosheets, which are highly stable, have very light weight, and are favorable composite for matrix materials . Their derivatives, such as GO, RGO, and SGO, are more compatible with other materials and are easy to integrate in various applications .…”

“…The application of TIMs is leaned toward the exploration of nanomaterials, such as CNTs and graphene. 26,80 In this study, CNTs, graphene, and graphite are highlighted. The application of these materials is extensively explored according to the good properties, resulting in successful heat removal process as manifested by high thermal conductivity and good mechanical contact and electron transfer.…”