Applications, Design Methods, and Challenges for Additive Manufacturing of Thermal Solutions for Heterogeneous Integration of Electronics

Abstract

Heterogeneous integration of electronics is critical to the next wave of electronics applications ranging from extremely power dense energy conversion systems to advanced chiplet and copackaged optics architectures for next-generation computing. Enhanced functionality and operation are essential goals in heterogeneous integration. In all applications, effective thermal management of both active and passive electronic devices is required to support these goals. Additive manufacturing (AM) opens new avenues for heterogeneous integration of electronics. This article thus provides a review of AM methods and applications in the specific context of thermal solutions for heterogeneous integration of electronics. Three-dimensional printing methods, associated materials (e.g., metal, polymer, ceramic, and composite), and electronics package integration approaches, or conceptual fabrication workflows, are outlined for cold plates, heat sinks, fluid flow manifolds, and thermal interface materials (TIMs) plus composites for electronics. The current status of design optimization methods for AM of thermal solutions for electronics is also covered. Future challenges and research directions are outlined to further stimulate the development of advanced manufacturing methods, novel design techniques, and unique electronics package integration capabilities for thermal solutions.