Active solid-state devices (e.g. – transistors – solid-state diode – Housing or package – With provision for cooling the housing or its contents
Reexamination Certificate
2002-12-17
2004-11-30
Potter, Roy (Department: 2822)
Active solid-state devices (e.g., transistors, solid-state diode
Housing or package
With provision for cooling the housing or its contents
C257S713000, C257S714000, C438S106000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06825557
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND
The cooling of integrated circuits is rapidly becoming a performance-related issue. As semiconductor processing technology progresses, for example, a larger number of transistors can fit on ever-shrinking pieces of silicon. These transistors generate heat when they operate, leading to semiconductor devices that get warmer and warmer. At some point, depending upon the materials involved, heat will degrade the performance of the circuitry on the semiconductor chip. Thermal management of the semiconductor chip includes several different approaches, ranging from simple, such as a heat sink that comes in contact with the package, to complex cooling systems with moving parts.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,032,477, issued Mar. 7, 2000, and entitled “Method and Apparatus for Cooling Electrical Components,” discloses a sorber and sorbent system. In this system, a sorber chamber contains a sorber fluid that is transported to and from the hot component with electrically controlled valves and removed from the surface of the component using electromagnetic energy.
In another approach, disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,054,676, issued Apr. 25, 2000, and entitled “Method and Apparatus for Cooling and Integrated Circuit,” the integrated circuit is inserted into a sealed, thermally insulated chamber. A cooling element inside the chamber is in contact with the integrated circuit package and is operated to cool the package, thereby cooling the integrated circuit.
A more complicated system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,094,912, issued Aug. 1, 2000, entitled “Apparatus and Method for Adaptively Controlling Moving Members within a Closed Cycle Thermal Regenerative Machine.” The system includes two moving parts, a motor and a power supply to operate the thermal regenerative machine to cool an integrated circuit.
An alternative approach is discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,250,085, issued Jun. 26, 2001, and entitled “Temperature Self-Regulated Integrated Circuit and Devices.” In this approach, a thermoelectric cooler that operates by running current of an opposite polarity to cool an integrated circuit is integrated into the semiconductor die on which the integrated circuit is manufactured.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4437510 (1984-03-01), Martorana
patent: 4494595 (1985-01-01), Schmid
patent: 5838351 (1998-11-01), Weber
patent: 6032477 (2000-03-01), Pfister et al.
patent: 6054676 (2000-04-01), Wall et al.
patent: 6094912 (2000-08-01), Williford
patent: 6250085 (2001-06-01), Tousson
DiBattista Michael
Livengood Richard H.
Intel Corporation
Marger & Johnson & McCollom, P.C.
Potter Roy
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