Micro/nanoscale phase-change physics
> Two-phase closed thermosyphon
Intelligent thermal management
> On-chip level near-junction cooling
Nanoengineered thermal materials
Renewable thermal energy solutions
On-chip level near-junction cooling
Due to the rising demand for next-generation semiconductors and high-performance mobility, there has been a surge in the need for highly integrated semiconductors across various industries. However, the heat generated by such high integration has become a significant issue, increasing the necessity for efficient semiconductor cooling solutions. Conventional cooling methods such as natural heat dissipation, forced air cooling, and indirect liquid cooling all face the issue of interfacial thermal resistance inherent between the semiconductor devices and cooling components, like heat sinks or heat exchangers. This resistance impairs heat transfer efficiency, raises operating temperatures, and reduces cooling performance. Thermal interface materials (TIM), used to lower contact thermal resistance, face performance degradation over prolonged use, and the low thermal conductivity of TIM limits overall heat transfer efficiency. To overcome this, on-chip level near-junction cooling, which is being actively researched, allows cooling fluids to approach within a few microns of the heat source by constructing channels directly inside the silicon substrate. This minimizes conductive thermal resistance in the substrate and eliminates solid-to-solid interface resistance, enabling efficient cooling even with low flow rates.


