Breakthrough in Thermal Management of Semiconductors Using Surface Plasmon Polaritons
Engineers have achieved a significant breakthrough in the thermal management of semiconductors by discovering a new mode of heat transfer using surface plasmon polaritons (SPP). This innovative method improves heat dispersion by 25% and has the potential to address overheating issues in miniaturized semiconductor devices.
Current Demand for Semiconductors
The demand for smaller semiconductors, coupled with ineffective heat dissipation from hot spots within the devices, has adversely affected the reliability and durability of modern devices. Existing thermal management technologies have yet to prove enough. Hence, the discovery of a new approach to heat dissipation using surface waves generated on thin metal films over the substrate represents a crucial breakthrough.
KAIST (President Kwang Hyung Lee) announced that Professor Bong Jae Lee’s research team in the Department of Mechanical Engineering has successfully measured a newly observed heat transfer phenomenon induced by “surface plasmon polariton” (SPP) in a thin metal film deposited on a substrate. This achievement is the first of its kind worldwide.
What is surface plasmon polariton (SPP)?
Surface plasmon polariton (SPP) refers to a surface wave formed on the metal’s surface due to the strong interaction between the electromagnetic field at the interface between the dielectric and the metal and the free electrons on the metal surface, resulting in collective vibrations.
The research team harnessed surface plasmon polaritons (SPP), surface waves generated at the metal-dielectric interface, to enhance thermal diffusion in nanoscale thin metal films. Since this new heat transfer mode occurs when a thin metal film is deposited on a substrate, it is highly applicable in device manufacturing and offers the advantage of large-area production. The team demonstrated a 25% increase in thermal conductivity through surface waves generated on a 100-nm-thick titanium (Ti) film with a radius of approximately 3 cm.
Professor Bong Jae Lee’s explanation of the results
Professor Bong Jae Lee, leading the research at KAIST, stated, “The significance of this research lies in identifying a new heat transfer mode that utilizes surface waves on a thin metal film deposited on a substrate, which can be easily implemented on a nanoscale. It can be a nanoscale heat spreader, efficiently dissipating heat near hot spots in easily overheating semiconductor devices.”
As it permits quick heat dissipation on nanoscale thin sheets, this research has significant implications for developing high-performance semiconductor devices in the future. Notably, by enabling more efficient heat transfer even at nanoscale thickness, where the thermal conductivity of thin films typically decreases due to boundary scattering effects, the research team’s newly discovered heat transfer mode is expected to address the fundamental issue of thermal management in semiconductor devices.
Raed the original article on ScitechDaily.
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