Apparatus for cooling of electronic devices utilizing microfluidic components

Abstract

System and method for cooling of an integrated circuit utilizing Micro-Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS) components. A flexible thin film has an upper flexible substrate, a lower inflexible substrate and flexible seals. One face of the lower substrate is in contact with at least one hot medium and the other face is in contact with a coolant fluid. One face of the upper substrate is in contact with the coolant fluid and the other face is in contact with the surrounding ambient. Two continuous flexible seals are attached to the faces of the upper lower substrates to form at least one closed enclosure comprising a thermally conducting gas. The thermally conducting gas is in direct contact with the lower substrate. The upper substrate deflects continuously and maximally in the direction along the coolant fluid flow direction when the flexible seals deflect when the thermally conducting gas undergoes volumetric thermal expansion.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus comprising:
 a first substrate and a second substrate, said first substrate comprising an inflexible substrate having a face in contact with at least one hot medium and having said other face in contact with a coolant fluid;   said second substrate comprising a flexible substrate having a face in contact with said coolant fluid and having said other face in contact with said surrounding ambient;   the faces of the first and second substrates in contact with the coolant fluid are opposing each other;   at least two continuous flexible seals attached to said faces of said first substrate and said second substrate opposing said coolant fluid to form at least one closed enclosure comprising a thermally conducting gas;   said thermally conducting gas in direct contact with said first substrate;   said flexible seal movable relative to said first substrate in said normal direction when said thermally conducting gas undergoes volumetric thermal expansion;   a first at least one opening on said first substrate and a second at least one opening on said first substrate;   said coolant fluid flowing between said first at least one opening and said second at least one opening through said volume between said substrates excluding said volumes of said at least two continuous flexible seals and said thermally conducting gas.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said second substrate deflects continuously and maximally in a direction along a direction of said flow of said coolant fluid when said at least two continuous flexible seals deflect when said thermally conducting gas undergoes volumetric thermal expansion. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said second substrate does not deflect or deflects minimally in a direction normal to a direction of said flow of said coolant fluid when said at least two continuous flexible seals deflect and when said thermally conducting gas undergoes volumetric thermal expansion. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said thermally conducting gas comprises a high volumetric thermal expansion coefficient.