Effect of Pressure-dependent TIM Thermal Resistance on Thermal Performance of First-level Packages

Thermal resistance offered by a thermal interface material is known to have strong dependence on the applied pressure at the interface. For an electronics package where the applied pressure can vary by more than an order of magnitude over the die area, thermal resistance of the TIM can vary drastically over the die surface. While simulating the thermal behavior of an electronic package that is actuated and powered-on, assuming a spatially uniform TIM resistance can lead to a significant underprediction in peak die temperatures. In this work, we present a generalized approach to predict the TIM performance in a dual chip electronic package using mechanical and thermal simulation of actuated system level configuration.