the era of hyper-connectivity is here with its increasing demands for data to be collected, stored, and moved at ever faster rates and to live up those demands (and the subsequent thermal management needs that such computing power requires) fujitsu labs has researched new devices, materials and packaging technologies for the hyperconnected cloud (hycc).
fujitsu labs has explored options for thermal management in the hyperconnected cloud. (wikimedia commons)
the research was led by shigenori aoki and explored the solutions to high-speed data processing within the limited spatial confines and energy consumption demanded of modern semiconductor devices.
according to a research paper published by fujitsu labs, “advanced packaging technologies, such as 3d device integration for minimal chip-to-chip distance and compact optical transceivers with maximum bandwith are developed, for compact, high-speed, and cost-effective products.”
three-dimensional integrated circuit (3d ic), which stacks silicon wafers and connects them vertically will increase the density of servers by a factor of 100, according to the report. the need for faster interconnects will push designs past the optical fibers currently in use and aoki noted silicon photonics as the next generation interconnection technology for fujitsu.
aoki spoke with the next platform about the research that the company conducted. the article highlighted the need for packaging to provide cooling for the high-density packages of today’s computing industry.
“technologies like as 3d ics and silicon photonics will need new cooling technologies aimed at hot spots within the integrated circuits,” the article explained. “moving a coolant through such a small space is not easy, given issues around flow rate, pumping power and the small size of the channels, but fujitsu has developed a two-phase cooling system that uses coolant vaporization, which aoki said needs a slower flow rate than liquid cooling and enables the self-circulation of the coolant in a manner similar to heat pipes.”
the report from fujitsu indicated that the cooling technology is expected to be implemented in computers and mobile devices.
read the full report from fujitsu labs at http://www.fujitsu.com/global/documents/about/resources/publications/fstj/archives/vol53-2/paper02.pdf.
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