US2009224422A1PendingUtilityA1

Methods of fabricating a composite carbon nanotube thermal interface device

53
Individually held — no corporate assignee on recordPriority: Jun 25, 2003Filed: Jan 9, 2009Published: Sep 10, 2009
Est. expiryJun 25, 2023(expired)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Valery M. Dubin
H10W 72/877B82Y 30/00B01J 37/0217B01J 37/0226B01J 37/348B01J 23/74H10W 90/736H10W 90/724H10W 70/02H10W 40/77H10W 40/25H10W 72/30
53
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Claims

Abstract

Embodiments of a composite carbon nanotube structure comprising a number of carbon nanotubes disposed in a matrix comprised of a metal or a metal oxide. The composite carbon nanotube structures may be used as a thermal interface device in a packaged integrated circuit device.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
1 - 38 . (canceled) 
     
     
         39 . A method comprising:
 disposing a substrate in a plating bath including a plating solution, the plating solution including ions of a metal and carbon nanotubes; and   forming a layer of the metal on the substrate, the metal layer including a number of the carbon nanotubes.   
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the metal comprises one of tin, indium, copper, nickel, cobalt, iron, cadmium, chromium, ruthenium, rhodium, rhenium, antimony, bismuth, platinum, gold, silver, zinc, palladium, and manganese. 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the carbon nanotubes comprise up to approximately 20 percent by weight of the plating solution. 
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the metal layer is formed by electroplating. 
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein the plating solution further comprises a complexing agent. 
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein the plating solution further comprises an additive to regulate a property of the metal layer. 
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein the additive comprises polyethylene glycol or a di-sulfide. 
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 42 , further comprising depositing a seed layer on the substrate prior to forming the metal layer. 
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the metal layer is formed by electroless plating. 
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 47 , wherein the plating solution further comprises a complexing agent and a reducing agent. 
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 48 , wherein the reducing agent comprises one of formaldehyde, hypophosphite, dimethyl amine borane, and hydrazine hydrate. 
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 47 , wherein the plating solution further comprises a substance to adjust a pH of the plating solution. 
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 47 , wherein the plating solution further comprises an additive to regulate a property of the metal layer. 
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 51 , wherein the additive comprises one of polyethylene glycol and a di-sulfide. 
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 47 , further comprising depositing a catalyst on the substrate prior to forming the metal layer. 
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 47 , further comprising heating the plating solution in the plating bath. 
     
     
         55 . The method of  claim 39 , further comprising applying an electric field across the metal layer to align the carbon nanotubes in the metal layer. 
     
     
         56 . The method of  claim 55 , wherein the carbon nanotubes are aligned substantially perpendicular to a surface of the substrate. 
     
     
         57 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the substrate comprises a semiconductor wafer, an integrated circuit die, a heat spreader, or a heat sink. 
     
     
         58 . The method of  claim 39 , further comprising separating the metal layer including the carbon nanotubes from the substrate to form a free-standing composite carbon nanotube (CNT) structure. 
     
     
         59 . The method of  claim 58 , further comprising attaching the composite CNT structure to a component. 
     
     
         60 . The method of  claim 59 , wherein the component comprises a semiconductor wafer, an integrated circuit die, a heat spreader, or a heat sink. 
     
     
         61 . The method of  claim 59 , wherein attaching the composite CNT structure to the component comprises:
 depositing a layer of a low melting point metal alloy on a surface of the composite CNT structure; and   attaching the composite CNT structure to the component using the layer of low melting point metal alloy.   
     
     
         62 . The method of  claim 61 , wherein the low melting point metal alloy comprises a solder. 
     
     
         63 . The method of  claim 58 , wherein the composite CNT structure has a thickness in a range of approximately 2 μm to 20 μm. 
     
     
         64 - 76 . (canceled)

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