Two-dimensional hexagonal boron nitride as lateral heat spreader in electrically insulating packaging. (26th May 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Bao, Jie; Edwards, Michael; Huang, Shirong; Zhang, Yong; Fu, Yifeng; Lu, Xiuzhen; Yuan, Zhichao; Jeppson, Kjell; Liu, Johan
• Is Part Of: Journal of physics. Volume 49:Number 26(2016)
• Publication Date: 2016-05-26
• Subjects: boron nitride -- thermal conduction -- lateral heat spreader -- electrical insulation; Physics -- Periodicals; 530
• DOI: 10.1088/0022-3727/49/26/265501
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0022-3727

Abstract

Abstract: The need for electrically insulating materials with a high in-plane thermal conductivity for lateral heat spreading applications in electronic devices has intensified studies of layered hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) films. Due to its physicochemical properties, h-BN can be utilised in power dissipating devices such as an electrically insulating heat spreader material for laterally redistributing the heat from hotspots caused by locally excessive heat flux densities. In this study, two types of boron nitride based heat spreader test structures have been assembled and evaluated for heat dissipation. The test structures separately utilised a few-layer h-BN film with and without graphene enhancement drop coated onto the hotspot test structure. The influence of the h-BN heat spreader films on the temperature distribution across the surface of the hotspot test structure was studied at a range of heat flux densities through the hotspot. It was found that the graphene-enhanced h-BN film reduced the hotspot temperature by about 8–10 °C at a 1000 W cm −2 heat flux density, a temperature decrease significantly larger than for h-BN film without graphene enhancement. Finite element simulations of the h-BN film predict that further improvements in heat spreading ability are possible if the thermal contact resistance between the film and test chip are minimised.