International Business Machines Corporation

Scott R Dwyer

David Clifford Long

Jon Alfred Casey

Kevin M Prettyman

Gregory M Johnson

Sudipta Kumar Ray

Mario John Interrante

Raymond A Jackson

Paul A Zucco

Thermoelectric devices having enhanced thermal characteristics are fabricated using multilayer ceramic (MLC) technology methods. Aluminum nitride faceplates with embedded electrical connections provide the electrical series configuration for alternating dissimilar semiconducting materials. Embedded electrical connections are formed by vias and lines in the faceplate. A portion of the dissimilar materials are then melted within the tunnels to form a bond. Thermal conductivity of the faceplate is enhanced by adding electrically isolated vias to one surface, filled with high thermal conductivity metal paste. A low thermal conductivity material is also introduced between the two high thermal conductivity material faceplates. Alternating semiconducting materials are introduced within the varying thermal conductivity layers by punching vias within greensheets of predetermined thermal conductivity and filling with n-type and p-type paste or may also be patterned in linear or radial fanout patterns through screening techniques and lamination of wire structures. a liquid channel within the faceplate is used to enhance thermal energy transfer. Thermoelectric devices are physically incorporated within the IC package using MLC technology.

Thermoelectric devices and methods for making the same

A ceramic column grid array package suitable for mounting application specific integrated circuits or microprocessor chips onto a printed circuit board employing polymer reinforced columns on the substrate module is described. The polymer enhancement is formed by coating a thin conformal film of a polymer, such as, a polyimide onto the substrate module after the formation of the ceramic column grids to mechanically enhance the column to substrate attachment of the column to the substrate prior to mounting on a printed circuit card. Upon curing of the polymer film at a temperature below the melting point of the solder bond attaching the column grid to the substrate, the columns will be mechanically reinforced in their attachment to the substrate. Upon removal of the substrate module from a printed circuit card during rework, the columns of the grid array will remain with the substrate module, leaving no columns on the printed circuit card.

Polymer enhanced column grid array

Thermoelectric devices having enhanced thermal characteristics are fabricated using multilayer ceramic (MLC) technology methods. Aluminum nitride faceplates with embedded electrical connections provide the electrical series configuration for alternating dissimilar semiconducting materials. Embedded electrical connections are formed by vias and lines in the faceplate. Methods are employed for forming tunnels through lamination and etching. A portion of the dissimilar materials are then melted within the tunnels to form a bond. Thermal conductivity of the faceplate is enhanced by adding electrically isolated vias to one surface, filled with high thermal conductivity metal paste. A low thermal conductivity material is also introduced between the two high thermal conductivity material faceplates. Alternating semiconducting materials are introduced within the varying thermal conductivity layers by punching vias within greensheets of predetermined thermal conductivity and filling with n-type and p-type paste. Alternating semiconducting materials may also be patterned in linear or radial fanout patterns through screening techniques and lamination of wire structures. A liquid channel within the faceplate is used to enhance thermal energy transfer. Thermoelectric devices are physically incorporated within the IC package using MLC technology.

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Troy, NY, United States of America

Scott R Dwyer