Thermal Management Challenges and the Role of Thermal Interface Materials in Advanced Packaging

Zhandi Yang

doi:10.62051/ajmse.v1n3.08

Authors

Zhandi Yang School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.62051/ajmse.v1n3.08

Keywords:

Thermal Interface Materials, Advanced Packaging, Thermal Management, Interfacial Thermal Resistance, 3D Integration, Chiplet, Carbon-based TIM, Liquid Metal, Boron Nitride, Smart TIM

Abstract

As semiconductor devices scale and advanced packaging architectures such as 2.5D interposer-based integration, 3D chip stacking and heterogeneous chiplet assembly are adopted, local power densities have surpassed 600 W/cm2, which is beyond the capability of standard thermal management techniques. Thermal interface materials (TIMs) are strategically critical to the thermal path of packaged devices bridging the high resistance solid-solid contact surfaces between the die, heat spreader and heat sink. This review covers the physical mechanisms of the interfacial thermal resistance in advanced packaging, the classification and performance of the major classes of TIMs (carbon-based, metal-based and polymer composite systems), and the crucial reliability challenges (pump-out, thermal cycling degradation and 3D stacking heat path interruption) which prevent the widespread use of TIMs today. The review also examines the stimulus-responsive smart TIMs as the platform to meet the dynamic thermal management requirements of next-generation heterogeneous integration platforms.

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