SBIR Phase II: Ultrasoft Thermal Interface Elastomer for Microelectronics

小型企业创新研究(SBIR)第二阶段项目的更广泛/商业影响是提高电子设备的效率和性能。包括手机、笔记本电脑和电动汽车在内的现代设备包含高功率半导体组件，这些组件会产生不必要的热量，进而降低它们的效率。如果不加以控制，这种热量可能会摧毁设备，甚至会伤害用户或破坏环境。该项目通过引入新的高性能热界面材料来解决电子设备中的过热问题，该材料基于将液态金属液滴嵌入可拉伸聚合物中。这些所谓的液态金属嵌入弹性体(LMEE)材料可以应用于计算机处理器、显卡、高级人工智能(AI)芯片，甚至电动汽车的电源模块，以帮助保持电子设备始终以峰值性能运行。物联网、5G网络基础设施和电动汽车的日益普及都需要更好的散热解决方案，以便设备能够正常运行。该项目将为半导体、汽车和医疗保健行业做出贡献。该项目的目标是在LMEE复合架构的基础上，开发一种用于封装微电子的热接口材料(TIM)并将其商业化。该技术将金属基固体TIM(S-TIMS)的卓越耐热性与聚合物基TIM的机械可靠性以及热脂的大批量制造兼容性结合在一起，将超越现有的TTIM。具体地说，LMEE在硫化前具有类似金属的耐热性、类似橡胶的弹性和类似液体乳液的流变性的独特组合，从而解决了现有S-TIMS面临的两个主要挑战：(I)长时间机械可靠性差和(Ii)与大批量生产中基于注射器的点胶不兼容。本项目提出的策略是合成基于LMEE的TIM，该TIM在半导体芯片表面和周围外壳之间形成牢固的结合，在芯片和外壳之间保持可控的厚度，并确保注射器分配所需的流变性。具体的项目任务围绕全面的技术计划建立，其中包括材料合成、性能表征和封装内评估。同时，该项目将检查储存、运输和分配的方法，以确保在该项目结束前为集成设备制造商和半导体组装和测试行业准备好产品。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The broader/commercial impact of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is in improving the efficiency and performance of electronic devices. Modern devices, including cell phones, laptops, and electric vehicles contain high-powered semiconductor components which generate unwanted heat that, in turn, reduces their efficiency. If left unchecked, this heat may destroy the devices and even injure users or cause damage to the environment. This project addresses excessing heating in electronic devices by introducing new high-performance thermal interface materials based upon embedding liquid metal droplets inside of stretchable polymers. These so-called liquid metal embedded elastomer (LMEE) materials can be applied to computer processors, graphics cards, advanced artificial intelligence (AI) chips, and even power modules in electric vehicles, to help keep electronic devices operating at peak performance at all times. The growing prevalence of the Internet of Things, 5G network infrastructure, and electric cars all necessitate better thermal solutions so that devices can function properly. This project could contribute to the semiconductor, automotive, and healthcare industries.This project’s goal is to develop and commercialize a thermal interface material (TIM) for packaged microelectronics, building upon the LMEE composite architecture. The technology will outperform existing TTIMs by combining the superior thermal resistance of metal-based solid TIMs (S-TIMs) with the mechanical reliability of polymer-based TIMs and the high-volume manufacturing compatibility of thermal greases. Specifically, LMEEs possess a unique combination of metal-like thermal resistance, rubber-like elasticity, and liquid emulsion-like rheology prior to curing, thereby solving two main challenges present with existing S-TIMs: (i) poor mechanical reliability over long durations and (ii) incompatibility with syringe-based dispensing for high volume manufacturing. The strategy proposed in this project is to synthesize an LMEE-based TIM that forms a robust bond between the surfaces of the semiconductor chip and surrounding enclosure, maintains a controlled thickness between the chip and enclosure, and ensures the necessary rheology for syringe-based dispensing. Specific project tasks build around a comprehensive technical plan that includes materials synthesis, performance characterization, and in-package evaluation. In parallel, the project will examine methods for storage, shipment, and dispensing to ensure a product that is ready for integrated device manufacturers and semiconductor assembly and testing industry by the end of this project.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.