Thermal management using Low Temperature Cofire Ceramic (LTCC)

With increased power densities for devices, new methods for thermal management from the heat generation at the die to heat removal to the ambient must be addresses. New methods of active cooling, utilizing an integrated approach of phase change thermal transport and fluid cooling integrated at the substrate level have been investigated using low temperature cofire ceramic (LTCC) technology. This required the development of high thermal conductivity thermal vias, integrated micro heat pipes, porous wicks, micro and macro channels and micro heat exchangers for fluid cooling. New materials, including via inks and cofire thick Ag tape, allow the development of hermetic thermal via structure with 80% area coverage of the Ag conductor. Free standing Ag metal columns and foils within cavities have been developed for the micro heat exchanger methods of heat transfer. These developments in LTCC processing allow optimizing the various thermal elements for the maximum heat transfer from a systems approach.