Advances in the semiconductor technology have enabled steady, exponential im provement in the performance of integrated circuits. Miniaturization allows the integration of a larger number of transistors with enhanced switching speed. Novel transistor structures and passivation materials diminish circuit delay by minimizing parasitic electrical capacitance. These advances, however, pose several challenges for the thermal engineering of integrated circuits. The low thermal conductivities of passivation layers result in large temperature rises and temperature gradient magni tudes, which degrade...

There is significant current interest in new technologies for IC (Integrated Circuit) cooling, driven by the rapid increase in power densities in ICs and the trend towards high-density electronic packaging for applications throughout civilian and military markets. In accordance with Moore's Law, the number of transistors on 6 Intel Pentium microprocessors has increased from 7.5 x10 in 1997 (Pentium II) to 6 55 x10 in 2002 (Pentium 4). Considering the rapid increase in the integration density, thermal management must be well designed to ensure proper functionality of these high-speed,...

Advances in the semiconductor technology have enabled steady, exponential im- provement in the performance of integrated circuits. Miniaturization allows the integration of a larger number of transistors with enhanced switching speed. Novel transistor structures and passivation materials diminish circuit delay by minimizing parasitic electrical capacitance. These advances, however, pose several challenges for the thermal engineering of integrated circuits. The low thermal conductivities of passivation layers result in large temperature rises and temperature gradient magni- tudes, which...