Transient Plane Source technique for measuring thermal properties of silicone materials used in electronic assemblies

Thermal conductivity represents a critical thermophysical property often monitored during the development and manufacture of new products. The Transient Plane Source (TPS) technique is a rapid and precise method for studying thermal transport properties. In the evaluation of electronic materials, information on thermal conductivity, thermal diffusivity and specific heat per unit volume is found from a rapid, single, nondestructive test of the material being studied. In this study, several silicone-based electronic materials with various fillers have been evaluated. These materials represent a typical cross section of those used in automotive electronics, general electronics and chip scale packaging. The study reviewed the methodology and techniques necessary for applying the TPS system to the analysis of silicone materials. Optimization of sensor selection, sample size, sample preparation and system parameter selections are discussed with results for each family of materials presented. The results validate the TPS technique as a rapid, nondestructive method to aid in characterizing newly developed electronic packaging and interconnect materials for both macro and micro electronic applications.