Thermal Management Materials for SiC and GaN Devices

Momentive Performance Materials Inc. (Momentive) will feature a portfolio of new products that facilitate critical heat removal for use in a wide range of applications at the International Microwave Symposium, May 23-27 in San Francisco, CA (Booth 718). The latest technologies of silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN) power semiconductors are enabling radio frequency (RF) devices to operate with higher power, higher voltage and higher frequency. These advantages are accompanied by an increase in thermal energy, and device designers are challenged with how best to dissipate it.

In response, Momentive has developed a line of thermal management products that can provide thermal conductivities 5 to 6 times higher than aluminum at a fraction of the weight. Literally at the core of Momentive’s products is Thermally-annealled Pyrolitic Graphite (TPG*), an engineered material with a thermal conductivity up to 1500 W/mK. This enabling technology has been utilized in the aerospace and military markets for over 20 years.

Momentive’s product offering includes TC1050 heat spreaders for board level and system level thermal management, TMP-EX heat sinks for die level heat removal with coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) matching and TMP-FX thermal straps for flexible heat dissipation at both the board level and chip level. By tailoring our technology to the specific customer design, our solutions can increase power input to the device by up to 60% while maintaining the same junction temperature, or can reduce temperature rise on the chip by up to 30% at the same power input. With either approach, customers are able to realize increased device reliability and an improved cost of ownership.

“Momentive is a global leader in thermal management solutions,” said Allison Howard, Global Technical Marketing Manager. “As power requirements increase and size requirements decrease, we’ve built upon our core TPG technology to help design engineers solve today’s thermal challenges. Our computer simulation, fast prototyping design, and in-house CNC machining capability allow us to provide customized, drop-in replacements with significantly improved thermal performance, enabling customers to save time and money while adapting their systems to accommodate SiC and GaN high power semiconductors.”