Predicting thermo-mechanical degradation of first-level thermal interface materials (TIMs) in flip-chip electronic packages

Ensuring adequate thermal performance is essential for the reliable operation of flip-chip electronic packages. Thermal interface materials (TIMs), applied between the die and a heat spreader form a crucial thermal junction between the first level package and external cooling mechanisms such as heat-sinks and cooling fans. Selection of a good TIM is dependent not only on its thermal properties but also on its ability to withstand mechanical stresses in an electronic package. In the past, FEM models have been applied to obtain the stresses and strains in the TIM using time-independent analysis. However, there has only been limited work in extending these models to predict the damage (both mechanical and thermal) in a TIM during thermo-cyclic loading. Our current work presents a technique to predict the thermal damage in TIMs over cyclic loading. Calibrated finite element analysis models have been created to predict accurate TIM strains in thermal test-vehicles. These predicted mechanical strains are then correlated with experimentally observed thermal degradation and finally, a phenomenological model is developed which predicts the thermal performance of an electronic package during cyclic loading.