Combined electromagnetic shield and thermal management device

Abstract

Various EMI shields with thermal management capabilities are disclosed. In one aspect, an EMI shield is provided that includes a thermal spreader plate adapted to be seated on and convey heat from an electromagnetic emissions generating component. The thermal spreader plate has a first material composition and a shield effectiveness that is absorption dominant to electromagnetic waves at a given electromagnetic emissions frequency. The EMI shield also includes a shell to cover and reflect electromagnetic emissions from the electromagnetic emissions generating component. The shell has a second material composition different than the first material composition and a shield effectiveness that is reflection dominant to electromagnetic waves at the given electromagnetic emissions frequency.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An EMI shield, comprising:
 a thermal spreader plate adapted to be seated on and convey heat from an electromagnetic emissions generating component positioned on a substrate having a ground pathway, the thermal spreader plate having a first material composition and a shield effectiveness that is absorption dominant to electromagnetic waves at a given electromagnetic emissions frequency; and   a shell to cover and reflect electromagnetic emissions from the electromagnetic emissions generating component, the shell having a second material composition different than the first material composition and a shield effectiveness that is reflection dominant to electromagnetic waves at the given electromagnetic emissions frequency, the shell having sidewalls surrounding the electromagnetic emissions generating component laterally and extending to the substrate when the EMI shield is seated on the electromagnetic emissions generating component, the shell being operable to connect to the ground pathway.   
     
     
         2 . The EMI shield of  claim 1 , comprising a gap between the spreader plate and the shell. 
     
     
         3 . The EMI shield of  claim 2 , comprising plural posts positioned between the spreader plate and the shell to transfer heat. 
     
     
         4 . The EMI shield of  claim 1 , wherein the shell comprises a first metal jacketed by a second metal. 
     
     
         5 . The EMI shield of  claim 1 , comprising a first thermal interface material between the thermal spreader plate and the shell. 
     
     
         6 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a substrate having a ground pathway;   an electromagnetic emissions generating component on the substrate; and   an electromagnetic emissions shield coupled to the substrate and having a thermal spreader plate seated on the electromagnetic emissions generating component, the thermal spreader plate having a first material composition and a shield effectiveness that is absorption dominant to electromagnetic waves at a given electromagnetic emissions frequency, and a shell to cover and reflect electromagnetic emissions from the electromagnetic emissions generating component, the shell having a second material composition different than the first material composition and a shield effectiveness that is reflection dominant to electromagnetic waves at the given electromagnetic emissions frequency, the shell being electrically connected to the ground pathway and having sidewalls surrounding the electromagnetic emissions generating component laterally and extending to the substrate.   
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , comprising a gap between the thermal spreader plate and the shell. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , comprising plural posts positioned between the thermal spreader plate and the shell to transfer heat. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the shell comprises a first metal jacketed by a second metal. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , comprising a first thermal interface material between the thermal spreader plate and the shell and a second thermal interface material between the thermal spreader plate and the electromagnetic emissions generating component. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , comprising an electronic device, the substrate being mounted in the electronic device. 
     
     
         12 . A method of thermally managing and electromagnetically shielding an electromagnetic emissions generating component positioned on a substrate, comprising:
 seating a thermal spreader plate on the electromagnetic emissions generating component, the thermal spreader plate having a first material composition and a shield effectiveness that is absorption dominant to electromagnetic waves at a given electromagnetic emissions frequency; and   covering the thermal spreader plate and the electromagnetic emissions generating component with a shell to reflect electromagnetic emissions from the electromagnetic emissions generating component, the shell having a second material composition different than the first material composition and a shield effectiveness that is reflection dominant to electromagnetic waves at the given electromagnetic emissions frequency, the shell being electrically grounded and having sidewalls surrounding the electromagnetic emissions generating component laterally and extending to the substrate.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , comprising establishing a gap between the thermal spreader plate and the shell. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , comprising positioning plural posts positioned between the thermal spreader plate and the shell to transfer heat. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the shell comprises a first metal jacketed by a second metal. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , comprising placing a first thermal interface material between the thermal spreader plate and the shell and a second thermal interface material between the thermal spreader plate and the electromagnetic emissions generating component. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the substrate is positioned in an electronic device. 
     
     
         18 . A method of manufacturing, comprising:
 fabricating a thermal spreader plate adapted to be seated on and convey heat from an electromagnetic emissions generating component positioned on a substrate having a ground pathway, the thermal spreader plate having first material composition and a shield effectiveness that is absorption dominant to electromagnetic waves at a given electromagnetic emissions frequency; and   fabricating a shell to cover and reflect electromagnetic emissions from the electromagnetic emissions generating component, the shell having a second material composition different than the first material composition and a shield effectiveness that is reflection dominant to electromagnetic waves at the given electromagnetic emissions frequency, the shell having sidewalls surrounding the electromagnetic emissions generating component laterally and extending to the substrate when the EMI shield is seated on the electromagnetic emissions generating component, the shell being operable to connect to the ground pathway.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , comprising placing the thermal spreader plate on the electromagnetic emissions generating component and the shell over the thermal spreader plate and the electromagnetic emissions generating component. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , establishing a gap between the thermal spreader plate and the shell. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , comprising positioning plural posts positioned between the thermal spreader plate and the shell to transfer heat. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 19 , comprising placing a first thermal interface material between the thermal spreader plate and the shell and a second thermal interface material between the thermal spreader plate and the electromagnetic emissions generating component.