초록 ▼

A diamond composite heat spreader having a variable thermal conductivity gradient can improve control of heat transfer based on a specific application. A diamond-containing region of the heat spreader can contain diamond particles such that the diamond concentration and/or the diamond particle size

A diamond composite heat spreader having a variable thermal conductivity gradient can improve control of heat transfer based on a specific application. A diamond-containing region of the heat spreader can contain diamond particles such that the diamond concentration and/or the diamond particle size a varied to produce a desired thermal conductivity gradient. Regions proximate to a heat source can have a higher thermal conductivity than regions further away from the heat source. Thin diamond films can also be used in conjunction with the particulate diamond in order to provide a region of maximum thermal conductivity adjacent a heat source. By providing a variable thermal conductivity gradient, more expensive materials such as diamond film and larger diamond particles can be selectively used in regions closer to a heat source, while allowing for cheaper smaller diamond particles and materials to be used farther away from the heat source where thermal conductivity can be lower without sacrificing overall performance.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A method of making a heat spreader, comprising the steps of: a) defining a heat spreader volume; b) identifying a desired predetermined temperature profile within the heat spreader volume based on an intended heat source; and c) forming a diamond-containing material within th

What is claimed is: 1. A method of making a heat spreader, comprising the steps of: a) defining a heat spreader volume; b) identifying a desired predetermined temperature profile within the heat spreader volume based on an intended heat source; and c) forming a diamond-containing material within the heat spreader volume having a variable thermal conductivity gradient configured to produce approximately the predetermined temperature profile during use, wherein the variable thermal conductivity gradient substantially decreases from a heat influx region to a heat exit region of the diamond-containing material, said thermal conductivity gradient being determined by providing a plurality of regions having a varying mean free thermal path across diamond material, wherein the varying mean free thermal path is determined by varying average diamond particle size along the thermal conductivity gradient. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the intended heat source is a CPU. 3. The method claim 1, further comprising forming the heat influx region of a diamond film. 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the thermal conductivity gradient is affected by variations in volume concentration of diamond. 5. The method of claim 4, wherein the variations in volume concentration of diamond are within the range of about 30% to about 95% by volume diamond. 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of forming the diamond-containing material includes packing a plurality of diamond particles in a predetermined pattern characterized by varying diamond particle sizes to form a diamond particulate region. 7. The method of claim 6, wherein packing is accomplished by placing a first layer of diamond particles in a mold and then placing one or more additional layers of diamond particles adjacent one another such that each successive additional layer of diamond particles has a progressively smaller average diamond particle size than the first layer. 8. The method of claim 6, wherein the step of forming further includes infiltrating the diamond particulate region with a non-carbonaceous material. 9. The method of claim 6, wherein the step of forming further includes sintering the particulate diamond region. 10. The method of claim 6, wherein packing results in substantially each diamond particle being in contact with at least one other diamond particle. 11. The method of claim 6, wherein a first plurality of diamond particles having a first average mesh size is packed and then packing successively smaller particles into interstitial voids in the first plurality of diamond particles to form a first diamond particle region. 12. The method of claim 11, wherein packing further comprises forming a second particle region by placing a second plurality of diamond particles adjacent the first diamond particle region and then packing successively smaller particles into interstitial voids in the second plurality of diamond particles to form a second diamond particle region. 13. The method of claim 6, further comprising the step of interference fitting the particulate diamond region into a non-carbonaceous mass. 14. The method of claim 13, wherein said non-carbonaceous mass comprises copper. 15. The method of claim 6, further comprising step of forming a layer of diamond film adjacent the particulate diamond region. 16. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of forming is accomplished by depositing diamond film directly on a surface of the particulate diamond region via chemical vapor infiltration. 17. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of forming is accomplished by brazing the layer of diamond film to a surface of the particulate diamond region.