In this work, single-phase Si microchannel coolers have been designed and characterized for cooling very high power density chips in single-chip modules (SCMs) in a laboratory environment. The average heat transfer coefficient was determined for a wide range of microchannel designs. Through the use of multiple heat exchanger zones and optimized cooler fin design, an average unit thermal resistance of 16.2°C·mm2/W between the chip surface and the inlet cooling water was demonstrated for an Si microchannel cooler attached to a chip with Ag epoxy in an SCM. Very good uniformity from SCM to SCM (±2%) and within an SCM (±5%) was achieved. Further, cooling of a thermal test chip with a microchannel cooler bonded to it and packaged in an SCM was also demonstrated for a chip power density greater than 400 W/cm2. Coolers of this design should be able to cool chips with average power densities of 500 W/cm2 or more.
By: Evan G. Colgan; Bruce Furman; Michael Gaynes; Nancy LaBianca; John Magerlein; Robert Polastre; R. J. Bezama; Rehan Choudhary; Ken Marston; Hilton Toy; Jamil A. Wakil; Roger Schmidt
Published in: HVAC&R Research, volume 12, (no 4), pages 1031-45 in 2006
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