Heat pipe-electrical interconnect integration for chip modules

Claim 1

An apparatus for controlling the temperature of one or more chips with electronic component thereon and for providing electrical interconnections between two or more such chips, the apparatus comprising: a substrate having at least one channel completely contained therein, each said channel defining a hollow extending from a first end to a second end of the channel, the substrate having one or more faces with one or more chips positioned on at least one face over the first end of said channel; a heat pipe wick, having a working fluid contained therein, completely situated within the hollow of the channel extending from the first end of the channel to the second end of the channel; a heat pipe evacuator chamber in fluid communication with the wick at the first end of the channel, for receiving working fluid from the wick adding thermal energy to the working fluid, and directing the working fluid toward the second end of the channel; a heat pipe condenser chamber in fluid communication with the wick at the second end of the channel, for receiving working fluid as a gas from the wick at a high temperature, withdrawing thermal energy from the working fluid, and returning the working fluid as a liquid within the wick to the first end of the channel; heat dissipation means in thermal contact with the condenser chamber, for withdrawing thermal energy from the condenser chamber, dispersing or dissipating this thermal energy, and maintaining the temperature of the condenser chamber within a predetermined temperature range; a plurality of columns of material of high electrical and thermal conductivity, each of said plurality of conducting columns being effective for direct thermal contact between at least one chip on a substrate face and at least one chip on another substrate face; a plurality of sheaths, each sheath surrounding one of said plurality of columns for insulating the column from direct contact with said wick and said working fluid; and a plurality of electrical interconnect traces of material located on the substrate, each trace electrically connecting at least two distinct chips through at least two conducting columns; whereby a substantial portion of the heat generated by electronic components on said chips and said plurality of interconnect traces of material is removed by said working fluid in said wick.

Claim 2

An apparatus for controlling the temperature of one or more chips with electronic component thereon and for providing electrical interconnections between two or more such chips, the apparatus comprising: a substrate having at least one channel completely contained therein, each said channel defining a hollow extending from a first end to a second end of the channel, the substrate having one or more faces with one or more chips positioned on at least one face over the first end of said channel; a heat pipe wick, having a working fluid contained therein, completely situated within the hollow of the channel extending from the first end of the channel to the second end of the channel; a heat pipe evacuator chamber in fluid communication with the wick at the first end of the channel, for receiving working fluid from the wick adding thermal energy to the working fluid, and directing the working fluid toward the second end of the channel; a heat pipe condenser chamber in fluid communication with the wick at the second end of the channel, for receiving working fluid as a gas from the wick at a high temperature, withdrawing thermal energy from the working fluid, and returning the working fluid as a liquid within the wick to the first end of the channel; heat dissipation means in thermal contact with the condenser chamber, for withdrawing thermal energy from the condenser chamber, dispersing or dissipating this thermal energy, and maintaining the temperature of the condenser chamber within a predetermined temperature range; a plurality of columns of material of high electrical and thermal conductivity, each of said plurality of conducting columns being effective for direct thermal contact between at least one chip on a substrate face and at least one chip on another substrate face; a plurality of sheaths, each sheath surrounding one of said plurality of columns for insulating the column from direct contact with said wick and said working fluid; and a plurality of electrical interconnect traces of material located on the substrate, each trace electrically connecting at least two distinct chips through at least two conducting columns; whereby a substantial portion of the heat generated by electronic components on said chips and said plurality of interconnect traces of material is removed by said working fluid in said wick.

Claim 9

An apparatus for controlling the temperature of one or more chips with electronic components thereon and for providing electrical interconnection between two or more such chips, the apparatus comprising: a substrate having at leat one channel completely contained therein, each of said channel defining a hollow extending from a first end to a second end of the channel, the substrate having one or more faces, with one or more chips positioned on at least one face, with at least one chip being positioned device side up over the first end of said channel; a heat pipe wick, having a working fluid contained therein, completely situated within the hollow of the channel, extending from the first end of the channel toward the second end of the channel; a heat pipe evaporator chamber in fluid communication with the wick at the first end of the channel, for receiving working fluid from the wick, adding thermal energy to the working fluid, and directing the working fluid to the second end of the channel; a heat pipe condenser chamber in fluid communication with the wick at the second end of the channel, for receiving working fluid as a gas from the wick at a high temperature, withdrawing thermal energy from the working fluid, and returning the working fluid as a liquid within the wick to the first end of the channel; heat dissipation means in thermal contact with the condenser chamber, for withdrawing thermal energy from the condenser chamber, dispersing or dissipating this thermal energy, and maintaining the temperature of the condenser chamber within a predetermined temperature range; a plurality of columns of material of high thermal conductivity, each conducting column for direct thermal contact between at least one chip on a substrate face and a wall of said channel; and a plurality of electrical interconnect traces of material located on the surface that electrically connect electronic components on two or more chips, each trace electrically contacting at least two distinct electronic components through an electrically conducting connection between a trace and an electrical component on a chip that is positioned device side up, whereby a substantial portion of the heat generated by electronic components on said chips and said plurality of electrical interconnect traces of material is removed by said working fluid in said wick.

Claim 10

An apparatus for controlling the temperature of one or more chips with electronic components thereon and for providing electrical interconnection between two or more such chips, the apparatus comprising: a substrate having at leat one channel completely contained therein, each of said channel defining a hollow extending from a first end to a second end of the channel, the substrate having one or more faces, with one or more chips positioned on at least one face, with at least one chip being positioned device side up over the first end of said channel; a heat pipe wick, having a working fluid contained therein, completely situated within the hollow of the channel, extending from the first end of the channel toward the second end of the channel; a heat pipe evaporator chamber in fluid communication with the wick at the first end of the channel, for receiving working fluid from the wick, adding thermal energy to the working fluid, and directing the working fluid to the second end of the channel; a heat pipe condenser chamber in fluid communication with the wick at the second end of the channel, for receiving working fluid as a gas from the wick at a high temperature, withdrawing thermal energy from the working fluid, and returning the working fluid as a liquid within the wick to the first end of the channel; heat dissipation means in thermal contact with the condenser chamber, for withdrawing thermal energy from the condenser chamber, dispersing or dissipating this thermal energy, and maintaining the temperature of the condenser chamber within a predetermined temperature range; a plurality of columns of material of high thermal conductivity, each conducting column for direct thermal contact between at least one chip on a substrate face and a wall of said channel; and a plurality of electrical interconnect traces of material located on the surface that electrically connect electronic components on two or more chips, each trace electrically contacting at least two distinct electronic components through an electrically conducting connection between a trace and an electrical component on a chip that is positioned device side up, whereby a substantial portion of the heat generated by electronic components on said chips and said plurality of electrical interconnect traces of material is removed by said working fluid in said wick.

Claim 13

An apparatus for controlling the temperature of one or more chips with electronic components thereon and for providing electrical interconnection between two or more such chips, the apparatus comprising: a substrate having at least one channel completely contained therein, each said channel defining a hollow extending from a first end to a second end of the channel, the substrate having one or more faces with one or more chips positioned on at least one face over the first end of said channel; a heat pipe wick, having a working fluid contained therein, completely situated within the hollow of the channel, extending from the first end of the channel toward the second end of the channel; a heat pipe evaporator chamber in fluid communication with the wick at the first end of the channel, for receiving working fluid from the wick, adding thermal energy to the working fluid, and directing the working fluid to the second end of the channel; a heat pipe condenser chamber in fluid communication with the wick at the second end of the channel, for receiving working fluid as a gas from the wick at a high temperature, withdrawing thermal energy from the working fluid, and returning the working fluid as a liquid within the wick to the first end of the channel; heat dissipation means in thermal contact with the condenser chamber, for withdrawing thermal energy from the condenser chamber, dispersing or dissipating this thermal energy, and maintaining the temperature of the condenser chamber within a predetermined temperature range; a plurality of columns of material of high electrical and thermal conductivity, each of said plurality of conducting columns being effective for direct thermal contact between at least one chip on a substrate face and the working fluid in the evaporator chamber; and a plurality of electrical interconnect traces of material located on the substrate, each trace electrically connecting at least two distinct chips through at least two conducting columns, whereby a substantial portion of the heat generated by electronic components on said chips and said plurality of electrical interconnect traces of material is removed by said working fluid in said wick.

Claim 14

An apparatus for controlling the temperature of one or more chips with electronic components thereon and for providing electrical interconnection between two or more such chips, the apparatus comprising: a substrate having at least one channel completely contained therein, each said channel defining a hollow extending from a first end to a second end of the channel, the substrate having one or more faces with one or more chips positioned on at least one face over the first end of said channel; a heat pipe wick, having a working fluid contained therein, completely situated within the hollow of the channel, extending from the first end of the channel toward the second end of the channel; a heat pipe evaporator chamber in fluid communication with the wick at the first end of the channel, for receiving working fluid from the wick, adding thermal energy to the working fluid, and directing the working fluid to the second end of the channel; a heat pipe condenser chamber in fluid communication with the wick at the second end of the channel, for receiving working fluid as a gas from the wick at a high temperature, withdrawing thermal energy from the working fluid, and returning the working fluid as a liquid within the wick to the first end of the channel; heat dissipation means in thermal contact with the condenser chamber, for withdrawing thermal energy from the condenser chamber, dispersing or dissipating this thermal energy, and maintaining the temperature of the condenser chamber within a predetermined temperature range; a plurality of columns of material of high electrical and thermal conductivity, each of said plurality of conducting columns being effective for direct thermal contact between at least one chip on a substrate face and the working fluid in the evaporator chamber; and a plurality of electrical interconnect traces of material located on the substrate, each trace electrically connecting at least two distinct chips through at least two conducting columns, whereby a substantial portion of the heat generated by electronic components on said chips and said plurality of electrical interconnect traces of material is removed by said working fluid in said wick.