Semiconductor chip structures with embedded thermal conductors and a thermal sink disposed over opposing substrate surfaces

Claim 2

A semiconductor chip structure comprising: substrate having first and second opposing surfaces; at least one electrically conductive circuit member disposed above said first surface of said substrate, said at least one electrically conductive circuit member residing at least partially on a dielectric material, said dielectric material residing between said at least one electrically conductive circuit member and said substrate, and having a dielectric constant below 3.5 and a first thermal conductivity; at least one thermal conductor thermally coupled to said at least one electrically conductive circuit member to provide a path for heat escape from said electrically conductive circuit member during operation, wherein said at least one thermal conductor has a second thermal conductivity, said second thermal conductivity being greater than said first thermal conductivity; a thermal sink thermally coupled to said second surface of said substrate, wherein said at least one thermal conductor facilitates heat transfer from said at least one electrically conductive circuit member to said thermal sink; wherein said thermal sink further comprises at least one thermally conductive via structure formed in said substrate in thermal contact with said at least one thermal conductor disposed above said substrate, wherein said at least one thermal conductor facilitates heat transfer from said at least one electrically conductive circuit member to said at least one thermally conductive via structure of said thermal sink; and wherein said thermal sink comprises an electrically conductive material, said electrically conductive material being electrically isolated from said substrate.

Claim 3

The semiconductor chip structure of claim 1 , wherein said at least one thermally conductive via structure comprises at least one thermally conductive cone-shaped via structure disposed in said substrate and aligned to thermally couple to said at least one thermal conductor disposed above said substrate.

Claim 4

The semiconductor chip structure of claim 1 , wherein said at least one thermal conductor comprises a cooling post extending through multiple circuit members layers disposed above said first surface of said substrate, and wherein said cooling post is aligned to thermally contact with said at least one thermally conductive via structure formed in said substrate.

Claim 5

The semiconductor chip structure of claim 3 , wherein said at least one cooling post comprises multiple cooling posts disposed above said first surface of said substrate, and wherein at least some posts of said multiple cooling posts are thermally coupled to said substrate and electrically coupled to a ground plane.

Claim 6

The semiconductor chip structure of claim 1 , wherein said first thermal conductivity is less than ⅓ said second thermal conductivity.

Claim 7

The semiconductor chip structure of claim 1 , wherein said at least one thermal conductor comprises at least one thermally conductive plug disposed adjacent to said at least one electrically conductive circuit member for removing heat from said at least electrically conductive circuit member for forwarding to said thermal sink thermally coupled to said second surface of said substrate.

Claim 8

The semiconductor chip structure of claim 1 , further comprising a silicon-on-insulator structure disposed above said first surface of said substrate, and wherein said at least one thermal conductor comprises multiple thermal conductors, and at least some thermal conductors of said multiple thermal conductors thermally coupled to said silicon-on-insulator structure, said silicon-on-insulator structure being disposed at least partially between said at least some thermal conductors and said substrate.

Claim 9

The semiconductor chip structure of claim 1 , wherein said at least one electrically conductive circuit member comprises a plurality of wiring levels disposed above said substrate, and wherein said at least one thermal conductor is disposed adjacent to and thermally coupled to a conductive line in at least one wiring level of said plurality of wiring levels for removing heat produced by said conductive line of said at least one wiring level for forwarding to said thermal sink thermally coupled to said second surface of said substrate.

Claim 10

The semiconductor chip structure of claim 8 , wherein each wiring level of said plurality of wiring levels resides on a different dielectric layer, each dielectric layer comprising said dielectric material having said first thermal conductivity.

Claim 11

The semiconductor chip structure of claim 1 , wherein said at least one thermal conductor comprises multiple thermal conductors, and wherein said thermal sink further comprises multiple thermally conductive via structures formed in said substrate, at least some via structures being in thermal contact with respective thermal conductors of said multiple thermal conductors disposed above said substrate, wherein said thermal conductors facilitate heat transfer from said at least one electrically conductive circuit member to said multiple thermally conductive via structures of said thermal sink.

Claim 12

A semiconductor chip structure comprising: a substrate having first and second opposing surfaces; at least one electrically conductive circuit member disposed above said first surface of said substrate, said at least one electrically conductive circuit member residing at least partially on a dielectric material, said dielectric material residing between said at least one electrically conductive circuit member and said substrate, and having a dielectric constant below 3.5 and a first thermal conductivity; at least one thermal conductor thermally coupled to said at least one electrically conductive circuit member to provide a path for heat escape from said electrically conductive circuit member during operation, wherein said at least one thermal conductor has a second thermal conductivity, said second thermal conductivity being greater than said first thermal conductivity; a thermal sink thermally coupled to said second surface of said substrate, wherein said at least one thermal conductor facilitates heat transfer from said at least one electrically conductive circuit member to said thermal sink; wherein said thermal sink further comprises at least one thermally conductive via structure formed in said substrate in thermal contact with said at least one thermal conductor disposed above said substrate, wherein said at least one thermal conductor facilitates heat transfer from said at least one electrically conductive circuit member to said at least one thermally conductive via structure of said thermal sink; wherein said at least one thermal conductor comprises at least one thermally conductive plug disposed adjacent to said at least one electrically conductive circuit member for removing heat from said at least electrically conductive circuit member for forwarding to said thermal sink thermally coupled to said second surface of said substrate; and wherein said at least one thermally conductive plug comprises at least one of a second dielectric material, polysilicon, and an electrically conductive material, and wherein said at least one thermally conductive plug is electrically isolated from said substrate.

Claim 13

A semiconductor chip structure comprising: a substrate having first and second opposing surfaces; at least one electrically conductive circuit member disposed above said first surface of said substrate, said at least one electrically conductive circuit member residing at least partially on a dielectric material, said dielectric material residing between said at least one electrically conductive circuit member and said substrate, and having a dielectric constant below 3.5 and a first thermal conductivity; at least one thermal conductor thermally coupled to said at least one electrically conductive circuit member to provide a path for heat escape from said electrically conductive circuit member during operation, wherein said at least one thermal conductor has a second thermal conductivity, said second thermal conductivity being greater than said first thermal conductivity; a thermal sink thermally coupled to said second surface of said substrate, wherein said at least one thermal conductor facilitates heat transfer from said at least one electrically conductive circuit member to said thermal sink; wherein said thermal sink further comprises at least one thermally conductive via structure formed in said substrate in thermal contact with said at least one thermal conductor disposed above said substrate, wherein said at least one thermal conductor facilitates heat transfer from said at least one electrically conductive circuit member to said at least one thermally conductive via structure of said thermal sink; wherein said at least one thermal conductor comprises at least one thermally conductive plug disposed adjacent to said at least one electrically conductive circuit member for removing heat from said at least electrically conductive circuit member for forwarding to said thermal sink thermally coupled to said second surface of said substrate; and wherein said at least one thermally conductive plug comprises at least one of a second dielectric material, polysilicon, and an electrically conductive material, and wherein said at least one thermally conductive plug is electrically isolated from said substrate.

Claim 14

A semiconductor chip structure comprising: a substrate having first and second opposing surfaces; at least one electrically conductive circuit member disposed above said first surface of said substrate, said at least one electrically conductive circuit member residing at least partially on a dielectric material, said dielectric material residing between said at least one electrically conductive circuit member and said substrate, and having a dielectric constant below 3.5 and a first thermal conductivity; at least one thermal conductor thermally coupled to said at least one electrically conductive circuit member to provide a path for heat escape from said electrically conductive circuit member during operation, wherein said at least one thermal conductor has a second thermal conductivity, said second thermal conductivity being greater than said first thermal conductivity; a thermal sink thermally coupled to said second surface of said substrate, wherein said at least one thermal conductor facilitates heat transfer from said at least one electrically conductive circuit member to said thermal sink; a silicon-on-insulator structure disposed above said first surface of said substrate, and wherein said at least one thermal conductor comprises multiple thermal conductors, and at least some thermal conductors of said multiple thermal conductors thermally coupled to said silicon-on-insulator structure, said silicon-on-insulator structure being disposed at least partially between said at least some thermal conductors and said substrate; and wherein said at least one thermal conductor of said multiple thermal conductors electrically couples to a device formed within said silicon-on-insulator structure.

Claim 15

A semiconductor chip structure comprising: a substrate having first and second opposing surfaces; at least one electrically conductive circuit member disposed above said first surface of said substrate, said at least one electrically conductive circuit member residing at least partially on a dielectric material, said dielectric material residing between said at least one electrically conductive circuit member and said substrate, and having a dielectric constant below 3.5 and a first thermal conductivity; at least one thermal conductor thermally coupled to said at least one electrically conductive circuit member to provide a path for heat escape from said electrically conductive circuit member during operation, wherein said at least one thermal conductor has a second thermal conductivity, said second thermal conductivity being greater than said first thermal conductivity; a thermal sink thermally coupled to said second surface of said substrate, wherein said at least one thermal conductor facilitates heat transfer from said at least one electrically conductive circuit member to said thermal sink; a silicon-on-insulator structure disposed above said first surface of said substrate, and wherein said at least one thermal conductor comprises multiple thermal conductors, and at least some thermal conductors of said multiple thermal conductors thermally coupled to said silicon-on-insulator structure, said silicon-on-insulator structure being disposed at least partially between said at least some thermal conductors and said substrate; and wherein said at least one thermal conductor of said multiple thermal conductors electrically couples to a device formed within said silicon-on-insulator structure.

Claim 16

The semiconductor chip structure of claim 12 , wherein said thermal sink further comprises at least one thermally conductive via structure formed in said substrate in thermal contact with at least one thermal conductor of said multiple thermal conductors disposed above said substrate, wherein said at least one thermal conductor facilitates heat transfer from said at least one electrically conductive circuit member to said at least one thermally conductive via structure of said thermal sink.