Diamond-based multimaterials for thermal management applications

Abstract

Today, the microelectronics industry uses higher functioning frequencies in commercialized components. These frequencies result in higher functioning temperatures and, therefore, limit a component’s integrity and lifetime. Until now, heat-sink materials were composed of metals which exhibit high thermal conductivities (TC). However, these metals often induce large coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) mismatches between the heat sink and the nonmetallic components of the device. Such differences in CTEs cause thermomechanical stresses at the interfaces and result in component failure after several on/off cycles.

To overcome this issue, we suggest replacing the metallic heat sink materials with a heat-spreader (diamond film) deposited on metal matrix composites (MMCs), specifically, carbon-reinforced copper matrices (Cu/C) which exhibit optimized thermomechanical properties. However, proper transfer of properties in MMCs is often compromised by the absence of effective interfaces, especially in nonreactive systems such as Cu/C. Therefore, the creation of a chemical bond is ever more relevant.

The goal of this research was to combine the exceptional properties of diamond by means of a thin film and the adaptive thermomechanical properties of MMCs. Carbon-reinforced copper matrix composites were synthesized using an innovative solid-liquid coexistent phase process to achieve designed composition gradients and optimized matrix/reinforcement interface properties. In addition, the lack of chemical affinity between Cu and C results in poor thermal efficiency of the composites. Therefore, alloying elements were inserted into the material to form carbide interphases at the Cu/C interface. Their addition enabled the composite’s integrity to be optimized in order to obtain thermally efficient assemblies. The diamond, in the form of a thin layer, was obtained by laser-assisted chemical vapor deposition. This process allowed action on the film’s phase purity and adhesion to the substrate material. Of particular importance was the influence of the interfaces on thermal properties both within the composite material (matrix-reinforcement interface) and within the diamond film-MMC assembly.

Alternate abstract:

L'objectif de cette étude est de combiner les propriétés exceptionnelles du diamant et les propriétés thermo-mécaniques adaptatives des MMC. Les composites à matrice de cuivre renforcés au carbone sont synthétisés à l'aide d'un processus dit semi-liquide pour obtenir des gradients de composition et des propriétés optimisées d'interface matrice-renfort. Par conséquent, des éléments d'alliage sont insérés dans le matériau pour former des interphases de carbure à l'interface Cu/C. Le film mince de diamant est obtenu par dépôt chimique en phase vapeur assisté par laser. Cette méthode de dépôt permet d'agir sur la qualité du film ainsi que sur l'adhésion avec le substrat composite. Finalement, une importance particulière est portée à l'influence des interfaces sur les propriétés thermiques tant au sein du matériau composite (interface matrice–renfort), qu'au sein de l'assemblage film diamant–MMC.