Device and methods for internal cooling of an integrated circuit (IC)

Abstract

Device and methods are provided for an up-conversion energy internal cooling of electronic devices such as IC chips, which enable efficient cooling of high frequency rate, high power and density electronic devices. Up-conversion energy internal cooling IC chips are designed to provide uniform internal cooling with possibility of localized cooling capabilities for high frequency processing rate/high power density regions of IC chips. The design also includes external cooling of the IC chips, or theirs electronic components by an electromagnetic source.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/993,969 filed Sep. 17, 2007, entitled “ICs with internal cooling and application thereof”, which is incorporated by reference.

FIELD AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to cooling of electronic components and, in particular, it concerns a system for the cooling of an integrated circuit (IC).

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A device and methods are provided for an up-conversion energy internal cooling of electronic devices such as IC chips, which enable efficient cooling of high frequency processing rate, high power and density electronic devices. Up-conversion energy internal cooling IC chips are designed to provide uniform internal cooling with possibility of localized cooling capabilities for “hot spots” regions of IC chips. The device comprises at least one electronic component, an up-conversion medium in which the electronic component is immersed, and a power supply to drive the electronic component. The electronic component is design or selected to emit electromagnetic energy at a wavelength 1 when changes it's own charge, and the up-conversion medium is optimized or selected to efficiently absorb electromagnetic energy at a wavelength 1 and to efficiently emit the absorbed energy at a wavelength 2, wherein quantum energy of the wavelength 2 is higher than quantum energy of the wavelength 1 that leads to cooling the up-conversion medium and subsequently to cooling the electronic component. In the design, the intensity of cooling electronic component is proportional to a frequency rate of changing the charge in the electronic component. Therefore, the proposed invention addresses current existing problems with efficient cooling of high frequency processing rate, high power and density electronic devices. The design also includes an external up-conversion cooling of the IC chips, or theirs electronic components by further provided an electromagnetic source in the device that irradiates at the wavelength 1.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is showing an electronic component immersed in an up-conversion medium.

FIG. 2 is showing an electronic component with an up-conversion medium embedded into the electronic component.

FIG. 3 is showing an electronic component with an electromagnetic energy source for external cooling of the electronic component, as provided according to some embodiments.

FIG. 4 is showing an electronic component with an embedded an electromagnetic energy source into the electronic component, as provided according to some embodiments.

FIG. 5 describes principles of up-conversion energy cooling.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

All patents, patent applications, and literatures cited or referenced in this description are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. In the case of inconsistencies, the present disclosure, including definitions and usage, will control.

A device and methods are provided for an up-conversion energy internal cooling of electronic devices such as integrated circuit (IC) chips, which enable efficient cooling of high frequency processing rates, high power and density electronic devices. The up-conversion energy internal cooling IC chips are designed to provide uniform internal cooling with possibility of localized cooling capabilities for “hot spots” regions of IC chips.

The device comprises at least one electronic component 101, an up-conversion medium 102 in which the electronic component is immersed (FIG. 1) or the medium 102 is embedded into the electronic component 101 (FIG. 2), and a power supply 103 to drive charge changes in the electronic component 101. The electronic component is design or selected to emit most of it's electromagnetic energy at a wavelength 1 when the electronic component changes or moves it's charge, and the up-conversion medium is optimized or selected to efficiently absorb electromagnetic energy at a wavelength 1 and to efficiently emit the absorbed energy at a wavelength 2, wherein quantum energy of the wavelength 2 is higher than quantum energy of the wavelength 1 (FIG. 5) that leads to cooling the up-conversion medium and subsequently to cooling the electronic component.

The changing or moving of the charge in the electronic component can be within the same type of the charge or within a plurality of charges. For example, in the electronic component 101 such as a capacitor, the capacitor can be charged or discharged with a single electron or many electrons, or if the electronic component 101 is a quantum well, the quantum well can be charged or discharged by separation or recombination of a positive charge (hole) and a negative charge (electron).

One of the embodiments of the inventions includes the use of a non up-conversion material 105 (FIG. 1) embedded into the up-conversion medium to enhance up-conversion or cooling capabilities of the up-conversion medium. For example of the non up-conversion material 105 can be a metal nanoparticle, which will enhance up-conversion capabilities of the up-conversion medium by increased absorption of energy at the wavelength 1 emitted by the electronic component.

In the design, the intensity of cooling electronic component is proportional to a frequency rate of changing the charge in the electronic component. Therefore, the proposed invention answers current existing cooling problems in high frequency processing rate, high power and density electronic devices.

The design also includes an external up-conversion cooling of the IC chips by an electromagnetic source 104 that irradiates the up-conversion medium 102 at the wavelength 1 (FIG. 3) that leads to cooling the up-conversion medium 102 and subsequently to cooling the electronic component 101. The electromagnetic source 104 may also be placed inside of the electronic component as is shown on FIG. 4, and the source 104 can irradiate the medium embedded into the electromagnetic source 104 leading to the internal cooling of the electronic component 101.

While the invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the disclosed embodiments, but on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. An integrated circuit (IC) chip with internal up-conversion cooling comprises of: at least one electronic component, wherein the electronic component is capable to emit electromagnetic energy at a wavelength 1 during changing it's charge; an up-conversion medium surrounding the electronic component or embedded into the electronic component, the medium is capable to cool the electronic component by absorption of energy at the wavelength 1 emitted by the electronic component and then by emitting the absorbed energy at a wavelength 2, wherein quantum energy of the wavelength 2 is higher than quantum energy of the wavelength 1; and a power supply capable to change the charge in the electronic component.

2. The IC chip claimed in claim 1, wherein the electronic component is selected from the group of: capacitor, transistor, diode, semiconductor diode, semiconductor transistor, charge couple cell, quantum well, or semiconductor multiple junction electronic component.

3. The IC chip claimed in claim 1, wherein the up-conversion medium is a liquid, a gas-state material, or a solid-state material.

4. The IC chip claimed in claim 1, wherein the up-conversion medium further contains a non up-conversion material to enhance up-conversion or cooling capabilities of the medium.

5. The IC chip claimed in claim 1, wherein the IC chip further comprises of an electromagnetic source emitting energy at the wavelength 1.

6. The IC chip claimed in claim 1, wherein changing of the charge in the electronic component is within a single type of the charge or within a plurality types of the charges.

7. The IC chip claimed in claim 1, wherein the wavelength 1 or the wavelength 2 is selected within a range of 1 nanometer to 20,000 nm.

8. The IC chip claimed in claim 1, wherein the wavelength 1 or the wavelength 2 is a single wavelength band or a plurality wavelength band.

9. The method for internal cooling of IC chips comprises steps of: providing at least one electronic component with a power supply capable to change a charge in the electronic component, wherein the electronic component is capable of to emit electromagnetic energy at a wavelength 1 when is changing it's charge; providing an up-conversion medium, the medium is capable to cool the electronic component by absorption of energy at the wavelength 1 emitted by the electronic component and by emitting the absorbed energy at a wavelength 2, wherein quantum energy of the wavelength 2 is higher than quantum energy of the wavelength 1; surrounding or embedding the medium into the electronic component; and changing the charge in the electronic component by the power supply.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the electronic component is selected from the group of: capacitor, transistor, diode, semiconductor diode, semiconductor transistor, charge couple cell, quantum well, or semiconductor multiple junction electronic component.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the up-conversion medium is a liquid, a gas-state material, or a solid-state material.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the up-conversion medium further contains a non up-conversion material to enhance up-conversion or cooling capabilities of the medium.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the wavelength 1 or the wavelength 2 is selected within a range of 1 nanometer to 20,000 nm.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the wavelength 1 or the wavelength 2 is a single wavelength band or a plurality wavelength band.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the method is further supported with steps of: providing an electromagnetic source emitting energy at the wavelength 1; and irradiating the up-conversion medium by the electromagnetic source to cool the medium.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein changing of the charge in the electronic component is within a single type of the charge or within a plurality types of the charges.