The Ten Myths Of Liquid Metal Thermal Interfaces. Chris Leyerle Enerdyne Solutions

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The Ten Myths Of Liquid Metal Thermal Interfaces Chris Leyerle Enerdyne Solutions www.enerdynesolutions.

1 The Ten Myths Of Liquid Metal Thermal Interfaces Chris Leyerle Enerdyne Solutions Presented at the Next Generation Thermal Management Materials and Systems Conference Wyndham Buttes Resort, Tempe, Arizona, USA,

2 Myths Bleeding Edge Technology Toxic/Hazardous Materials Material Won t t Stay Put Incompatibility with Other Components Unavoidable Degradation from Oxidation Messy Handling Characteristics Non-standard Manufacturing Needs Unexceptional Performance Too Expensive to be Practical Commercially Unproven 2005 Enerdyne Solutions Page 2

3 Outline Why Liquid Metal as an Interface Material? History of the Approach Failures and Phobias Manufacturing, Cost and Commercialization 2005 Enerdyne Solutions Page 3

4 Outline Why Liquid Metal as an Interface Material? History of the Approach Failures and Phobias Manufacturing, Cost and Commercialization 2005 Enerdyne Solutions Page 4

5 Critical Interface Higher heat flux densities More of overall thermal budget consumed by TIM1 interface Heat sinks of higher efficiency required to offset TIM1 resistance 2005 Enerdyne Solutions Page 5

6 Low Melt Alloys (LMAs) Typically alloys of Indium, Bismuth, Gallium, Tin Phase change typically C Contains no organics No curing required Liquid at operating temperature of component High bulk conductivity compared to organics High degree of wetting to yield low contact resistance 2005 Enerdyne Solutions Page 6

7 Performance Myth: Unexceptional performance compared to particle-filled greases Reality: LMA interface outperforms best organic materials in use today 2005 Enerdyne Solutions Page 7

8 Performance Conductivity ~25 W/mK Impedance < 0.04 C-cm 2 /W Conductivity measured by Laser Flash method Impedance measured by ASTM D5470 method (@ 20psi) 2005 Enerdyne Solutions Page 8

9 Performance LMA thermal performance exceeds all organic TIM materials S. Lee, P. Chen, Development of High Performance Thermal Interface Material,, Intel Technology Symposium, Seattle, Washington, September 27-28, 28, Enerdyne Solutions Page 9

10 Performance Example 6 C C (~11 F) reduction over Cu lid with best silver greases LMA TIM1 1 cm 2 80 W die Ag Grease TIM1 1 mil BLT, 20 W/mK 2.5 mils BLT, 5 W/mK 2005 Enerdyne Solutions Page 10

11 Outline Why Liquid Metal as an Interface Material? History of the Approach Failures and Phobias Manufacturing, Cost and Commercialization 2005 Enerdyne Solutions Page 11

12 Technology Risk Myth: LMAs are a Bleeding Edge uncertain technology Reality: LMA research and development on-going for more than 30 years 2005 Enerdyne Solutions Page 12

13 LMA Research 1970 s IBM 1980 s Hitachi, IBM, MMI 1990 s 3M, Digital, Fujitsu, IBM, Microelectric Corp., Unisys, Westinghouse 2000 s AMD, Bergquist,, Enerdyne Solutions, Hitachi, IBM, Intel, NEC, Nortel, Thermagon, Thermax, Unisys 2005 Enerdyne Solutions Page 13

14 Outline Why Liquid Metal as an Interface Material? History of the Approach Failures and Phobias Manufacturing, Cost and Commercialization 2005 Enerdyne Solutions Page 14

15 Material Safety Myth: LMAs use toxic and/or hazardous materials/constituents Reality: LMAs can be made from relatively innocuous materials 2005 Enerdyne Solutions Page 15

16 Alloy Formulations Lead and cadmium alloy candidates may not be viable Gallium is a mercury replacement R. Webb, J. Gwinn, Low Melting Point Thermal Interface Material,, 2002 Inter Society Conference on Thermal Phenomena, pp , 676, Enerdyne Solutions Page 16

17 Migration Myth: LMA material won t t stay put Reality: LMA migration can be prevented 2005 Enerdyne Solutions Page 17

18 Migration Perimeter Barriers Surface Finish Optimizations Viscosity Modifiers Substrates 2005 Enerdyne Solutions Page 18

19 Intermetallics Myth: LMAs are incompatible with common and critical electronics components Reality: LMAs are compatible when using appropriate alloy formulation and surface preparation 2005 Enerdyne Solutions Page 19

20 Intermetallics Indium-based LMAs are incompatible with copper surfaces LMAs containing gallium are incompatible with aluminum and copper 2005 Enerdyne Solutions Page 20

21 Intermetallics Diffusion Barriers Alloy Modifications LMA Coated or Used as Particulate 2005 Enerdyne Solutions Page 21

22 Oxidation Myth: LMA performance degrades quickly due to alloy oxidation Reality: Long term performance and reliability achievable today 2005 Enerdyne Solutions Page 22

Oxidation The Prior Art Foil-based LMA, 61.1 0 C phase change Good Initial Performance Poor reliability due to oxidation S. Lee, P.

23 Oxidation The Prior Art Foil-based LMA, C phase change Good Initial Performance Poor reliability due to oxidation S. Lee, P. Chen, Development of High Performance Thermal Interface Material,, Intel Technology Symposium, Seattle, Washington, September 27-28, 28, Enerdyne Solutions Page 23

24 Oxidation LMA foil (as supplied) 24 hrs in 85 C, Corrosion 85% humidity products 2005 Enerdyne Solutions Page 24

25 Oxidation Moisture Barriers Moisture/Oxygen Neutralization LMA Surface Modification 2005 Enerdyne Solutions Page 25

26 Outline Why Liquid Metal as an Interface Material? History of the Approach Failures and Phobias Manufacturing, Cost and Commercialization 2005 Enerdyne Solutions Page 26

27 Handling Characteristics Myth: LMAs are messy and difficult to apply Reality: Preform or foil-based LMAs can be handled just like many other materials 2005 Enerdyne Solutions Page 27

28 Deployment Phase change formulations and preform or foil deployments ease handling 2005 Enerdyne Solutions Page 28

29 Manufacturing Myth: Reality: Use of a LMA interface material requires non-standard manufacturing methods and process steps Application of a LMA can be different from a polymeric TIM, but uses proven and widely used techniques and processes 2005 Enerdyne Solutions Page 29

30 Cost Myth: Typical LMA is impractically costly and is suitable only for niche applications Reality: LMA allows reduction in overall solution cost pays for itself 2005 Enerdyne Solutions Page 30

31 Cost Conservation of Impedance Better TIM allows reduction of size, cost, and weight of other components 2005 Enerdyne Solutions Page 31

32 Commercialization Myth: Use of a LMA TIM is commercially unproven Reality: LMA TIM products have had production use and are available today 2005 Enerdyne Solutions Page 32

33 LMA TIM Vendors Thermagon (T-LMA) Thermax (HiFlux( HiFlux) Enerdyne Solutions (Indigo) Enerdyne Solutions Page 33

34 LMA Thermal Interfaces More Than 30 Years of R&D Built from Normal Industrial Materials Stability of Material at Interface Compatibility with Joined Materials Long Term Reliability without Oxidation Simple Handling and Deployment Standard Manufacturing Techniques Superior Performance Modest Cost Providing Overall Savings Commercially Proven and Available 2005 Enerdyne Solutions Page 34

35 Thank you. Chris Leyerle Enerdyne Solutions P.O. Box 2660 North Bend, WA Enerdyne Solutions Page 35

Performance, Reliability, and Approaches Using a Low Melt Alloy as a Thermal Interface Material

Performance, Reliability, and Approaches Using a Low Melt Alloy as a Thermal Interface Material Chris G. Macris, Thomas R. Sanderson, Robert G. Ebel, Christopher B. Leyerle Enerdyne Solutions 125 West