Abstract: A cold plate, an electronic assembly including a cold plate, and a method for forming a cold plate are provided. The cold plate includes an interface plate and an opposing plate that form a plenum. The cold plate includes a plurality of active areas arranged for alignment over respective heat generating portions of an electronic assembly, and non-active areas between the active areas. A cooling fluid flows through the plenum. The plenum, at the non-active areas, has a reduced width and/or reduced height relative to the plenum at the active areas. The reduced width and/or height of the plenum, and exterior dimensions of cold plate, at the non-active areas allow the non-active areas to flex to accommodate surface variations of the electronics assembly. The reduced width and/or height non-active areas can be specifically shaped to fit between physical features of the electronics assembly.

Abstract: Heat sinks and methods of using the same include a top and bottom plate, at least one of which has a plurality of pin contacts flexibly connected to one another, where the plurality of pin contacts have vertical and lateral flexibility with respect to one another; and pin slice layers, each having multiple pin slices, arranged vertically between the top and bottom plates such that the plurality of pin slices form substantially vertical pins connecting the top and bottom plates.

Abstract: A structure for cooling an integrated circuit. The structure may include; an interposer cold plate having at least two expanding channels, each expanding channel having a flow direction from a channel inlet to a channel outlet, the flow direction having different directions for at least two of the at least two expanding channels, the channel inlet having an inlet width and the channel outlet having an outlet width, wherein the inlet width is less than the outlet width.

Abstract: A heat source (single semiconductor chip or group of closely spaced semiconductor chips of similar height) is provided on a first side of a substrate, which substrate has on said first side a support member comprising a compressible material. A heat removal component, oriented at an angle to said heat source, is brought into proximity of said heat source such that said heat removal component contacts said support member prior to contacting said heat source. Said heat removal component is assembled to said heat source such that said support member at least partially absorbs global inequality of force that would otherwise be applied to said heat source, absent said support member comprising said compressible material.

Abstract: A cold plate, an electronic assembly including a cold plate, and a method for forming a cold plate are provided. The cold plate includes an interface plate and an opposing plate that form a plenum. The cold plate includes a plurality of active areas arranged for alignment over respective heat generating portions of an electronic assembly, and non-active areas between the active areas. A cooling fluid flows through the plenum. The plenum, at the non-active areas, has a reduced width and/or reduced height relative to the plenum at the active areas. The reduced width and/or height of the plenum, and exterior dimensions of cold plate, at the non-active areas allow the non-active areas to flex to accommodate surface variations of the electronics assembly. The reduced width and/or height non-active areas can be specifically shaped to fit between physical features of the electronics assembly.

Abstract: An integrated circuit (IC) can be cooled by using a structure that includes two elements, such as integrated circuits (ICs) or electronic packages, in a stacked arrangement, with the elements having surfaces that face each other. The structure also includes a pair of fluidic channel boundaries, between the facing surfaces, where each fluidic channel boundary is formed by an arrangement of adjacent discrete connecting structures. The primary and secondary fluidic channel boundaries and the facing surfaces define a fluidic channel that is useful for promoting boiling of and directing the flow of a refrigerant between the two surfaces.

Abstract: A thermal interface includes a first thermal interface material (TIM) layer and a lid disposed on the first TIM layer. A second TIM layer is disposed on a surface of the lid opposite the first TIM layer. The second TIM layer is from about 75% to about 25% as wide as a width of the lid in at least one direction. A heat sink disposed on a surface of the second TIM layer opposite the lid.

Abstract: A compliant pin fin heat sink includes a flexible base plate having a thickness of from about 0.2 mm to about 0.5 mm. A plurality of pins extends from the flexible base plate and is formed integral with the flexible base plate by forging. A flexible top plate is connected to and spaced from the flexible base plate. The plurality of pins is disposed between the flexible base plate and the flexible top plate.

Abstract: A heat sink includes a plurality of layers being disposed substantially parallel with a surface of a heat source. The layers include a plurality of pin portions spaced apart from each other in a planar arrangement wherein the pin portions of the layers are stacked and bonded to form pin fins extending in a transverse direction relative to the heat source to sink heat. A compliant layer is disposed between the pin fins and a mechanical load. The compliant layer provides compliance such that the pin fins accommodate dimensional differences when interfacing with the heat source.

Abstract: A method includes determining a relationship between indirect thermal data for a processor and a measured temperature associated with the processor, during a calibration process, obtaining the indirect thermal data for the processor during actual operation of the processor, and determining an actual significant temperature associated with the processor during the actual operation using the indirect thermal data for the processor during actual operation of the processor and the relationship.

Abstract: A structure for cooling an integrated circuit. The structure may include; an interposer cold plate having at least two expanding channels, each expanding channel having a flow direction from a channel inlet to a channel outlet, the flow direction having different directions for at least two of the at least two expanding channels, the channel inlet having an inlet width and the channel outlet having an outlet width, wherein the inlet width is less than the outlet width.

Abstract: A heat source (single semiconductor chip or group of closely spaced semiconductor chips of similar height) is provided on a first side of a substrate, which substrate has on said first side a support member comprising a compressible material. A heat removal component, oriented at an angle to said heat source, is brought into proximity of said heat source such that said heat removal component contacts said support member prior to contacting said heat source. Said heat removal component is assembled to said heat source such that said support member at least partially absorbs global inequality of force that would otherwise be applied to said heat source, absent said support member comprising said compressible material.

Abstract: An optical coupling system includes a substrate, an electronic die comprising a plurality of coupling holes for passing light, an optical element die attached to a bottom surface of the electronic die, the electronic die attached to the substrate such that the electronic die covers a cavity in the substrate and the optical element die resides within the cavity of the substrate. The system may also include a thermally conductive lid that covers and contacts the electronic die and the substrate and has a coupling aperture that enables light that passes through the coupling holes to pass through the thermally conductive lid. The system may also include an optical cable coupler comprising a coupling section that laterally fits within the coupling aperture and a body section disposed above the coupling section that is laterally larger than the coupling section. A method for providing the above system is also disclosed herein.

Abstract: An optical coupling system includes a substrate, an electronic die comprising a plurality of coupling holes for passing light, an optical element die attached to a bottom surface of the electronic die, the electronic die attached to the substrate such that the electronic die covers a cavity in the substrate and the optical element die resides within the cavity of the substrate. The system may also include a thermally conductive lid that covers and contacts the electronic die and the substrate and has a coupling aperture that enables light that passes through the coupling holes to pass through the thermally conductive lid. The system may also include an optical cable coupler comprising a coupling section that laterally fits within the coupling aperture and a body section disposed above the coupling section that is laterally larger than the coupling section. A method for providing the above system is also disclosed herein.

Abstract: A structure for a network switch. The network switch may include a plurality of spine chips arranged on a plurality of spine cards, where one or more spine chips are located on each spine card; and a plurality of leaf chips arranged on a plurality of leaf cards, wherein one or more leaf chips are located on each leaf card, where each spine card is connected to every leaf chip and the plurality of spine chips are surrounded on at least two sides by leaf cards.

Abstract: A structure for a network switch. The network switch may include a plurality of spine chips arranged on a plurality of spine cards, where one or more spine chips are located on each spine card; and a plurality of leaf chips arranged on a plurality of leaf cards, wherein one or more leaf chips are located on each leaf card, where each spine card is connected to every leaf chip and the plurality of spine chips are surrounded on at least two sides by leaf cards.

Abstract: A method includes determining a relationship between indirect thermal data for a processor and a measured temperature associated with the processor, during a calibration process, obtaining the indirect thermal data for the processor during actual operation of the processor, and determining an actual significant temperature associated with the processor during the actual operation using the indirect thermal data for the processor during actual operation of the processor and the relationship.

Abstract: A heat source (single semiconductor chip or group of closely spaced semiconductor chips of similar height) is provided on a first side of a substrate, which substrate has on said first side a support member comprising a compressible material. A heat removal component, oriented at an angle to said heat source, is brought into proximity of said heat source such that said heat removal component contacts said support member prior to contacting said heat source. Said heat removal component is assembled to said heat source such that said support member at least partially absorbs global inequality of force that would otherwise be applied to said heat source, absent said support member comprising said compressible material.

Abstract: A method includes determining a relationship between indirect thermal data for a processor and a measured temperature associated with the processor, during a calibration process, obtaining the indirect thermal data for the processor during actual operation of the processor, and determining an actual significant temperature associated with the processor during the actual operation using the indirect thermal data for the processor during actual operation of the processor and the relationship.

Abstract: An apparatus for cooling an electronic component has a planar top member of a thermal energy conductive material and a parallel planar bottom member of the material, the planar bottom member including a surface having regions configured for heat exchange contact with the electronic component. The joined planar top and bottom members have a sidewall structure of reduced height (and generally the height of the cold plate) between active areas in order to improve flexibility. The stiffness of the sidewalls is reduced by very advantageously reduce the height of the sidewalls. In one embodiment, the sidewalls are shorter in height corresponding to regions only between active areas. Alternatively, the sidewalls are of reduced height everywhere by insetting the active areas within the top and/or bottom sheets.