Apparatus and method for increasing thermal conductivity of a substrate

Abstract

An apparatus and method is disclosed for increasing the thermal conductivity in a substrate of a non-wide bandgap material comprising the steps of directing a thermal energy beam onto the substrate in the presence of a first doping gas for converting a region of the substrate into a wide bandgap material to enhance the thermal conductivity of the substrate for cooling the non-wide bandgap material. In one example, the invention is incorporated into a carbon rich layer formed within the wide bandgap material. In another example, the invention is incorporated into a carbon rich layer formed within the wide bandgap material having basal planes disposed to extend generally outwardly relative to an external surface of the substrate to enhance the cooling of the substrate.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . (canceled) 
     
     
         3 . (canceled) 
     
     
         4 . (canceled) 
     
     
         5 . (canceled) 
     
     
         6 . (canceled) 
     
     
         7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . (canceled) 
     
     
         9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . A silicon substrate having enhanced thermal dissipating properties, comprising:
 a substrate of a silicon material having a first and a second region; and   a silicon carbide material formed in situ within said first region of said substrate.   
     
     
         15 . A silicon substrate having enhanced thermal dissipating properties as set forth in  claim 14 , including a carbon rich layer formed in situ within a portion of said silicon carbide material. 
     
     
         16 . A silicon substrate having enhanced thermal dissipating properties as set forth in  claim 14 , including a graphite layer formed in situ within a portion of said silicon carbide material. 
     
     
         17 . A silicon substrate having enhanced thermal dissipating properties as set forth in  claim 14 , including a carbon rich layer formed in situ within a portion of said silicon carbide material having an atomic structure defining basal planes aligned generally parallel to an external surface of said substrate. 
     
     
         18 . A silicon substrate having enhanced thermal dissipating properties as set forth in  claim 14 , including a carbon rich layer formed in situ within a portion of said silicon carbide material having an atomic structure defining basal planes aligned generally perpendicular to an external surface of said substrate to enhance the thermal conductivity between the first and the second regions of the substrate. 
     
     
         19 . A non-wide bandgap substrate having enhanced thermal dissipating properties, comprising:
 a substrate of a non-wide bandgap material having a first and a second region; and   a wide bandgap material formed in situ within said first region of said substrate.   
     
     
         20 . A silicon carbide substrate having enhanced thermal dissipating properties, comprising:
 a substrate of a silicon carbide material having a first and a second region; and   thermal conducting material formed in situ within a first region of said silicon carbide material to enhance the thermal conductivity between the first and the second regions of the substrate for dissipating from the second region of the substrate.   
     
     
         21 . A silicon carbide substrate having enhanced thermal dissipating properties as set forth in  claim 20 , including a including continuous or diffuse boundaries between said first and second regions. 
     
     
         22 . A silicon substrate having enhanced thermal dissipating properties as set forth in  claim 14 , including a including continuous or diffuse boundaries between said first and second regions. 
     
     
         23 . A non-wide bandgap substrate having enhanced thermal dissipating properties as set forth in  claim 19 , including a continuous or diffuse boundaries between said first and second regions. 
     
     
         24 . A wide bandgap substrate having enhanced thermal dissipating properties, comprising:
 a substrate of a wide bandgap material having a first and a second region;   a second wide bandgap material formed in situ within said first region of said substrate; and   a continuous or diffuse boundary between said first and second regions.