Date: 26/01/2011

Thermally superior Nanotapes to replace solder bonding in semiconductor chips

Researchers from Semiconductor Research Corporation (SRC) and Stanford University have developed a new material for replacing pins and solder pads used in bonding sections of semiconductor devices. This material is less degradable compared to solder pads and also withstands higher heat and mechanical stress. Same technology can also be used in non-semiconductor applications.

This new material offers high thermal connectivity compared to copper and is also with the flexible compliance of foam. The nanostructured tape like shaped material conducts heat like a metal and flexible enough to allow the neighboring materials to expand and contract with temperature changes.

"A big roadblock to increasing the performance of modern chips is hot spots, or millimeter-sized regions of high power generation. This advance in nanostructured materials and methods will allow us to better cool these spots and serves as a key enabler for densification of computational circuitry," said Professor Ken Goodson, lead researcher for SRC at Stanford University. "This can help packaging to withstand the demands of Moore's Law."

This innovative packaging technology addresses the nano meter chip making challenges where the material offers both higher thermal conduction and the needed elasticity.

"Researchers love to create useful materials and structures that we've never seen before, and this new thermal nanotape revolutionizes the chip's heat sink contact," said Jon Candelaria, director of Interconnect and Packaging Sciences at SRC. "Instead of being forced to rely upon the properties of just a single material, this combination gives the integrated circuits industry an opportunity to circumvent severe performance limitations and continue to improve packaging without adding cost."

The other interesting application suggested for this technology is using thermoelectric energy converters to recover electrical power from hot exhaust gases in gas powered automotives.