The Importance of Thermal Management in IC Chips

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Hear a very important factor in the world of electronics. If not well-managed, it can have catastrophic effects. This is why thermal management is important in all aspects of electronics, including integrated circuits. When designing and building integrated circuits, it is always important to pay attention to thermal management.

Why does thermal management matter in IC chips? Once you turn on any electronic device, there is a high chance that it will generate some significant levels of heat. This heat comes from different sources. Some are generated due to the flow of electric current. Another source of heat is due to the energy loss on the electronic components that are embedded in an integrated circuit. The higher the energy loss, the more the heat that is generated.

Any semiconductor chip manufacturer should pay attention to the heat management issue. In this article, we are going to discuss the importance of thermal management in integrated circuits. You will know why chip manufacturers are doing all that it takes to ensure that there is proper heat management on their semiconductor chips.

Effects of heat on semiconductor chips

Before we look at the importance of thermal management on semiconductor chips, what are the effects of excessive heat on these semiconductor chips?  The effects are quite similar to the heat on electronics in general.

Heat has a direct impact on the general properties of semiconductor materials. The most basic it causes the electromigration on the semiconductor materials. It triggers the movement of electrons on the semiconductor material and this will have a direct impact on the performance and functionality of the semiconductor chip.

The results of electromigration will be felt beyond the semiconductor chips. The behavior and performance of the electronic device will be affected by the changing temperatures. It will be impossible for the device to operate within its limits.  You may fail to have total control over the device.

All semiconductor chips fully rely on their internal bonding that creates connections on the PCBs. Excessive heat will compromise the quality of the bonds and this will end up affecting the general reliability and performance of the semiconductor chips.

The significance of thermal management on IC chips is when you are turning the device on and off. When switched on, most electronic devices will have high heat dissipation mainly due to the flow of current. In some applications, the device will be switched on and off frequently. This will have a direct impact on the physical structure and electrical properties of semiconductor material. This is mainly because the die will be subjected to rapid temperature changes.

Beyond causing the movement of the electrons, heat affects the expansion and contraction behavior of materials.   Given that IC chips contain many other electronic components, you should expect that their physical behavior will also be affected by the rapid changes in temperatures. The impact can even cause fractures, bending, and even breakages on these components.

Some components on the IC chips contain chemical elements that react to extreme changes in temperatures. Once  the chemical properties of these elements are affected, you should expect a decline in the performance of the IC chips. 

Reasons for thermal management in IC chips

We have just looked at the impact of heat on the semiconductor chips. Let’s look at some of the reasons why thermal management is important in semiconductor chips.

Increasing reliability of IC chips

When do we say a semiconductor chip is reliable?  An IC chip is deemed to be reliable if it can perform its expected mandate perfectly for a long period. It should not break down or even malfunction at any particular time when it is in use.

From what we have discussed, extended exposure to heat can cause significant damage to the semiconductor chip.  It affects the physical, electrical, and even chemical properties of a semiconductor chip.

Thermal management guarantees the reliability of an IC chip.  With proper management of temperature, it means that all the conditions on the semiconductor chip will be perfect. It also means that the electronic components that make up the IC chip will be operating at their optimum conditions as specified by the manufacturer.

Overall, thermal management provides perfect conditions for the operation of the integrated circuits. The silicon wafer and other components won't be exposed to conditions that are deemed extreme. The end result is your IC chip will last for a long period. You will not have to worry about constant breakdowns and interruptions due to damages. 

Low repair and maintenance cost

Closely related to reliability is repair and maintenance. If an IC chip is reliable, it means that you will spend less money on repair and maintenance costs. This is possible because you will n spend minimal on repairing your electronic device whose IC chip is damaged as a result of overheating. Buying new IC chips can be quite an expensive affair. But with proper thermal management, this will no longer be an issue that you should deal with.

High-performance levels

There is a direct correlation between thermal management and the performance of an electronic device. In most devices, the performance will take a serious deep whenever the device overheats. You will be very lucky if the device does not shut down. What if the device is used in an intensive and sensitive application such as healthcare? The last thing that should not happen is poor performance.

With proper thermal management, the performance of the integrated circuit will always be at its peak. Processors will be able to process any amount of data without slowing down or encountering any interruptions. The excellent performance of an integrated circuit will be translated to the performance of an electronic device.

Increased productivity

The performance of a device has a direct impact on the productivity of a business. If the device, appliance, or machine performs to the optimum levels, it means that you will be able to produce your products without facing any bottlenecks.

With proper thermal management, you will have a high production rate, more so if your whole production process is automated or depends on the machines to run smoothly. Productivity can also stem from the reliability of the IC chips.  There will be minimum incidences of interruptions caused by the need to repair damaged devices that have been affected by overheating.

Positive business reputation

Probably you might have heard of customers preferring a specific brand of electronics because they rarely overheat. Or, they complain of a particular brand because to products are prone to overheating.  In both scenarios, thermal management of integrated circuits takes center stage.

If you are a manufacturer and supplier of electronic devices, you have every reason to choose IC chips that have a well-defined thermal management system. It will help to elevate the reputation of your business. Consumers will know you for stocking reliable products that don’t overeat.

For safety reasons

You can easily establish the relationship between fire and heat. If a device increasingly gets hot and nothing is done to manage the heat, it can easily cause a fire incidence. Overheating can interfere with electric circuits in addition to damaging other electronic components. Some components   are made of chemicals that will react when exposed to excess heat.

With proper thermal management in integrated circuits, you will be able to keep your device safe. This will also improve the safety ratings of your electronic device hence improving the reputation of your brand in terms of product safety.

Enhances energy efficiency of a product

Overheating tends to degrade the energy efficiency of a device.  This has something to do with the movement of electrons. Excess heat will result in the rapid motion of electrons.  It will take more current and electric energy to force those electrons to move in a desired direction. This will have a negative impact on the energy efficiency of a device.

With proper thermal management on IC chips, you will be able to achieve optimum energy efficiency on a device.

Conclusion

Thermal management is an important factor to consider when designing semiconductor chips.  Even as the manufacturer focuses on the performance, functionalities, and other key parameters, they have to know how the generated heat on the chip will be managed. The temperature within the IC chip should be within a manageable range. There are many ways in which IC designers and manufacturers are implementing the thermal management problem. A comprehensive thermal management analysis during the IC chip design process is one of the effective ways of achieving this goal.

Are you planning to buy semiconductor chips? You should pay attention to their heat management ratings. The ratings indicate that the manufacturers have taken all the important measures to ensure that thermal management issues are well taken care of. Buying from reputable IC chip distributors is one of the surest ways of ensuring that you get IC chips that have desirable thermal management features.  We at Rantle East Electronics verify that all our chips meet the required standards for thermal management.