Abstract: A signal coupler is comprised of a transmitting section and a receiving section. The receiving section includes a polymer pyroelectric film element having a greater than 1% by volume of a high thermal diffusivity material, such as aluminum nitride, to improve the thermal diffusivity of the polymer film. A preferred embodiment of the transmitting section includes a thin film resistive heater to generate thermal pulses which are coupled to the receiving section by a thin film of thermal grease disposed between the receiving section and the transmitting section.

Abstract: Heatsink structures for integrated circuit chips, chip packages, printed wiring boards and the like are disclosed. The heatsink structures according to the present invention have thin flexible cooling fins which move and vibrate under the flow of a cooling fluid. In one embodiment, the fins comprise a thin metal film, such as copper or aluminum, which is laminated to a thin polymeric layer. The polymeric layer provides resilience and elasticity to the metal film and the cooling fins.

Abstract: Heatsink structures for integrated circuit chips, chip packages, printed wiring boards and the like are disclosed. The heatsink structures according to the present invention have thin flexible cooling fins which move and vibrate under the flow of a cooling fluid. In one embodiment, the fins comprise a thin metal film, such as copper or aluminum, which is laminated to a thin polymeric layer. The polymeric layer provides resilience and elasticity to the metal film and the cooling fins.

Abstract: A compact, reliable, and efficient cooling system for semiconductor chips is disclosed. In one embodiment, a plurality of semiconductor chips have their active surfaces mounted to a major substrate which provides electrical connections among the chips, and a cooling channel is formed above the major substrate and each chip for conducting a cooling fluid over the back surface of the chips. To increase cooling efficiency, heat sink arrays are formed on the back surfaces of the chips, each array including a plurality of heat conducting elements attached to the back surface. The arrays may be readily and inexpensively constructed with photo-lithography or wire bonding techniques. To control the flow of cooling fluid around the chip edges and to prevent cavitation of the cooling fluid a cavitation and flow control plate disposed at the bottom surface of the cooling channel and formed around the edges of the chips is included.

Abstract: A gas flow temperature probe includes a sensor device for sensing the ambient gas cooling rate and temperature; a prenormalizer circuit responsive to and remote from the sensor device for detecting gas cooling rate and temperature signals from the sensor device and for providing calibration data unique to the probe for normalizing the detected gas cooling rate and temperature to generate a normalized gas flow and temperature sensed by the probe; and an elongated flexible cable interconnecting the sensor device and the prenormalizer circuit for transmitting the ambient gas cooling rate and temperature signals from the sensor device to the prenormalizer circuit; a gas flow temperature monitor circuit includes a multiplexer circuit for real time sampling of a number of probes; a scheduler circuit for defining the sampling rate; and a normalizer circuit for combining the gas cooling rate and temperature signals and the calibration data from the prenormalizer circuit for each probe and generating normalized gas fl

Abstract: Apparatus for cooling an electronic circuit module includes a heat sink in thermal contact with the circuit module and a device for directing cooling gas at the heat sink. The heat sink includes multiple fins defining channels between them, a base having a surface for contact with the circuit module, and a plurality of passages located between the fins and the base and interconnecting with the channels. At least a part of the cooling gas flows between the fins and absorbs thermal energy from the fins and then flows through the passages and absorbs additional thermal energy. The fins and the passages provide a large area of contact with the cooling air and reduce the pressure drop through the heat sink. The heat sink provides a path for efficient conduction of thermal energy from the circuit module to the fins and prevents the formation in the cooling air of recirculating eddies which can reduce heat transfer.