By Josh Perry, Editor
[email protected]

U.S. Army researchers, according to a report from TechLinkCenter.org, have patented a novel power module with integrated heat dissipation features that will enable high-powered electronics systems.

An example of the patented power module that U.S. Army researchers designed. (TechLink/U.S. Army Research Lab)

One of the researchers listed on the patent is Dr. Lauren Boteler, who was recently honored as Women Engineer of the Year by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Electronics Packaging and Photonics Division.

The report from TechLink, which partners with the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) on technology transfer, explained, “Through innovative design and material selection, the Army engineers have created multi-functional components that concurrently act as electrical, thermal, and mechanical attachments. This eliminates the need for wire bonds and a separate heat sink. It also allows for space-saving stacking of components (diodes and switches) in the power module and reduces parasitic inductance.”

Packaging was an important component of this new design. The abstract from the patent read:

“A power module including a plurality of power die layers including power electronic components; a plurality of heat sink components operatively connected to multiple sides of each power electronic component; a plurality of electrically conductive layers contacting the plurality of heat sink components, wherein a power die layer and an electrically conductive layer sequentially alternate to form a stacked structure such that both ends of the stacked structure includes an end electrically conductive layer.

“A cooling path is integrated with each layer in the stacked structure. A housing unit houses the stacked structure. The power electronic components may include heat-producing electronic devices. The cooling path may accommodate any of a fluid and solid to liquid phase change materials. The fluid comes into direct contact with the power die layers, heat sink components, and electrically conductive layers.”

Read the full patent at https://patents.google.com/patent/US10178813B2/en?oq=U.S.+Patent+10%2c178%2c813%2c+.

Read more about the packaging designs that went into the patent at https://techlinkcenter.org/technologies/stacked-power-modules-with-integrated-cooling.