Investigation of the Dynamics of Liquid Cooling of 3D ICs

TL;DR

This paper investigates the thermal management of 3D integrated circuits using microchannel liquid cooling with various coolants, highlighting the importance of coolant type, latent energy, and inlet velocity in controlling hotspot temperatures.

Contribution

It provides a comparative analysis of different coolants and cooling block materials, revealing optimal configurations for effective thermal management of 3D ICs.

Findings

Diamond cooling blocks maintain temperatures below 60°C with any coolant.

SiO2 blocks require liquid nitrogen for acceptable temperatures.

Liquid latent energy and inlet velocity significantly influence cooling effectiveness.

Abstract

Although 3D IC technology can provide very high integration density, they suffer from having hotspots that may reach thousands of degrees. To manage this heat, it is necessary to study the dynamics of cooling and thermal behavior of the ICs. In this study, we report on the dynamics of microchannel liquid cooling using water, R22, and liquid nitrogen. The study shows that using diamond cooling blocks ensures normal operating temperature of 60 degrees centigrade or less, using any of the above coolants. Using SiO2 blocks, only liquid nitrogen can provide acceptable operating temperatures. The study shows also that liquid latent energy and inlet velocity play a major role in the cooling dynamics.