Refrigeration – Using electrical or magnetic effect – Thermoelectric; e.g. – peltier effect
Reexamination Certificate
1999-05-26
2001-06-26
Doerrler, William (Department: 3744)
Refrigeration
Using electrical or magnetic effect
Thermoelectric; e.g., peltier effect
C062S259200
Reexamination Certificate
active
06250085
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to semiconductor and optical integrated circuits and more particularly to apparatus operative to cool hot spots in such circuits controllably.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Integrated circuits such as microprocessors are commercially available as is well known. It is also well known that such circuits develop hot spots during operation and the removal of heat so generates is a significant constraint on the operation of such circuits. The problem of heat removal is exacerbated by the technological advance to increasingly higher speeds and to smaller and smaller feature size and the resulting increase in the number of components in chips in which such circuits are defined.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the principles of this invention, Thermoelectric coolers such as Peltier coolers are formed within a chip in which components are defined in an integrated circuit (IC). The coolers are defined to couple to circuit hot spots and to move heat, generated at the hot spots, to cooler areas of the chip or to a heat sink. In this manner, critical hot spots in a circuit, which may otherwise lead to circuit failures, are controlled in a manner to distribute the heat or at least to remove heat from a failure prone critical area. The Peltier cooler in each instance may be operative responsive to normal system power and signal pulses or may be responsive to sensors which control the Peltier cooler when temperature in excess of a preset limit is sensed.
In another embodiment, a Peltier cooler for an entire chip or cooler for different chip segments may be packaged along with a chip. The closer the position of the cooler to a heat spot, the more efficient the heat removal.
The Peltier effect is a thermoelectric effect. If an electric current is passed through the junction of two materials, then heat will be generated or absorbed, depending on the direction of the electric current.
A Peltier cooler is not a new concept as such, but the use of the Peltier effect inside an IC, either within the IC package or as a part of the chip itself, is considered a significant advance over the prior art. Specifically, in accordance with this invention a Solid State cooling system is included inside every IC, as a part of the construction of the IC itself, either within the IC package or as a part of the chip itself.
By adding to the Peltier cooler (heater) a feedback circuit which measures the chip temperature, regulation of the temperature can be provided. The proximity between the chip and the cooler allows much better regulation of the temperature than with conventional cooling. Also, the reversibility of the Peltier effect (the cooler becomes a heater and vice versa, depending on the direction of the electric current) allows even better temperature regulation and maintaining it over a larger range of outside temperatures.
Some of the advantages of the temperature self-regulated ICs and devices include: temperature stability, lower operating temperature, operating over a larger range of outside temperature, isothermal environment, frequency stability, reduced size, increased speed and longer life.
Some of the applications and the related current problems (in parentheses) are listed below:
1. Precision ICs and devices. (Amplifier input errors; Johnson noise).
2. Hall effect and magnetic-resistance ICs and devices. (Thermoelectric and thermomagnetic contributions due to temperature gradients; Johnson noise; Temperature coefficient of resistively, specially for magneto-resistive devices).
3. Very stable crystal oscillators. (Temperature dependence of frequency).
4. High-power Ics and devices. (Size; Life duration).
5. High speed CMOS logic circuits. (Leakage currents dominates quiescent power dissipation; Carrier mobility dominates transistors gain and therefore the speed).
6. New designed and packaged high-density ICs with regard to optimizing size and speed parameters. (Heat dissipation).
7. Small size and high speed computers.
It is well known that the speed of computers is limited by the size of the computer, because the electric pulses need finite time to travel inside the computer. Circuit density in a computer is limited by heat sinking problems of the heat that is generated by the computer parts. Moreover, high speed components generate more heat. Temperature Self-Regulated Integrated Circuits (ICs) in accordance with this invention is proposed herein as the solution for this problem. These ICs enable circuit designers to reduce the computer size and to increase its speed and capability.
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Doerrler William
Jones Melvin
Shapiro Herbert M.
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