Optimization of Heat Spreader Design for Electronic Cooling

The continuing increase in IC (Integrated Circuit) power levels and microelectronics packaging densities has resulted in the need for detailed considerations of the heat sink design for integrated circuits. One of the major components in the heat sink is the heat spreader which must be designed to effectively conduct the heat dissipated from the chip to a system of fins or extended surfaces for convective heat transfer to a flow of coolant. The heat spreader design must provide the capability to dissipate the thermal energy generated by the chip. However, the design of the heat spreader is also dependent on the convection characteristics of the fins within the heat sink, as well the material and geometry of the heat spreader. This paper focuses on the optimization of heat spreaders in a heat sink for safe and efficient performance of electronic circuits. The results of the study show that, for air-cooled electronics, the convective effects may dominate the thermal transport performance of the heat spreader in the heat sink.