Characterization of fiber accumulation fouling in fine pitched heat sinks

Fiber accumulation fouling of heat sinks is a growing issue within the electronics industry. Fouling can lead to significant decreases in cooling efficiency and may even cause equipment malfunction. Most existing dust studies focus on fine particle threats to human health or heavy machinery. Little attention is paid to the larger particles and fibers that human anatomy and heavy equipment typically filter out before they reach susceptible areas. This approach ignores many threats to electronic equipment. This paper characterizes examples of Fiber Accumulation Fouling from several sources.