BPN426: Flat Micro Heat Pipes for Cooling Applications

The purpose of this project is to develop novel, flat (less than 1 mm thick) micro-machined heat pipe devices that may be implemented directly onto chips for cooling purposes. Using silicon to pattern and etch the microchannels for the heat pipe mechanism facilitates the integration of this technology by eliminating thermal mismatch between the chip and cooling device. The primary goal of using a heat pipe-based design versus the conventional heat sinks (usually fins) is to greatly improve the effective thermal conductivity of the cooling apparatus. This project currently is in the testing phase, and the long range goals primarily focus on optimizing various device parameters.

Project end date: 07/30/08