Application of phase-change materials in Pentium (R) III and Pentium (R) III XeonTM processor cartridges

Thermal interface materials (TIM´s) were widely used to reduce thermal resistance between the electronic device and the cooling solution. One typical TLM is the phase-change material (PCM) which melts after the electronic device starts to power up. A survey of commercially available PCMs was performed. Thermal characterization of these PCMs was conducted by using the guarded heater based on ASTM D5470. The characterization results are compared to the suppliers´ data sheets. In addition, the thermal test vehicle with the single edge contact (S.E.C.) cartridge form factor is also used as a screening tool to evaluate the PCMs through the power cycles. A BrN-filled PCM was finally selected as the S.E.C. Cartridge TIM. The impact of the fiber mesh carrier and the tilting of interface layer on the PCM thermal performance is discussed