Multiscale Micro/Nanostructured Heat Spreaders for Thermal Management of Power Electronics

In this chapter, we describe surface modification techniques for enhancing heat/mass transfer and evaporation on heated surfaces. The effect of asymmetrical structure in designing a vapor chamber, patterned with multiscale micro/nanostructured surfaces will be introduced. The wettability patterned surface and its mechanism for improving the evaporation rate of a droplet and the thermal performance of nucleate boiling are discussed. An ultrathin vapor chamber based on a wettability patterned evaporator is introduced as a case for the application of the wettability pattern. Besides, modifying the surface with nanostructure to form a multiscale micro/nanostructured surface or superhydrophobic surface also enhances the phase change. Several types of heat spreaders are proposed to investigate the effects of multiscale micro/nanostructured surface and nanostructured superhydrophobic condenser on the thermal performance of the heat spreaders, respectively. The effects of multiscale micro/nanostructured evaporator surfaces with wettability patterns will be analyzed and experimental data will be presented.