This Month’s Qpedia Thermal eMagazine has been released! This issue includes the following topics:
Direct-Bond-Copper Aluminum Nitride Microchannel Heat Sink for IGBT Modules
The advancement in semiconductor technology has coerced engineers into looking for more innovative and effective methods to cool semiconductor devices with increasing power density. The continuing efforts towards the shrinking of the Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistor (MOSFET) and the Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor (IGBT) gate size have made it impossible for standard electronics packages and pure air-cooled devices to handle the heat load dissipated by some high-power devices, such as high end CPUs, power transistors, DSP chips, etc.
TEC Selection in Thermal Management
With the push towards reducing component size, increasing power dissipation and lowering junction temperature, engineers must utilize different and more effective means for achieving their goals. Thermo electric coolers (TECs) are one such means to achieve their ends. TECs have been on the market for decades and their application in component cooling can be attractive, if they are designed properly or chosen correctly. Even though their COP is much lower than a Carnot cycle efficiency, they can solve some problems if the fundamentals of a TEC are well understood by the engineering team.
Industry Developments: Thermally Conductive PCBs
A wide range of printed circuit board materials are available for electronic assemblies requiring heat management characteristics (high-power devices, RF and wireless, lighting/LED boards, etc.). In widening use are metal-clad PCBs with a standard dielectric, and metal cores of various thicknesses of aluminum and copper. Providers of these PCBs offer tight machining tolerances and high-quality fabrication services for effective thermal management.
Technology Review: High Performance Heat Transfer Devices
Qpedia continues its review of technologies developed for electronics cooling applications. We are presenting selected patents that were awarded to developers around the world to address cooling challenges. After reading the series, you will be more aware of both the historic developments and the latest breakthroughs in both product design and applications.
Cooling News from Around the Industry
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