Performance Enhancement of Integrated Circuits and Power Devices via Embedded Diamond Heat Management

Abstract

We report the manufacturing and integration of lab grown microcrystaline diamond in the wafer and package of advanced silicon integrated circuits and compound semiconductor processes. Diamond which has a thermal conductivity of 1500-2200 W/(m*K), four times higher than copper and fifteen time higher than silicon, significantly reduces the thermal spreading resistance and the junction / core temperature. We present perfomance stress test results performed on a state of the art processor with embedded diamond heat spreader showing a marked increase in processor speed and reduced core temperature when compared to a the same processor in a standard package. A marked reduction in cores temperature spread is also displayed by the diamond embedded processor. Results for power device performance improvement are also described.