Thermal Design of Semiconductor Components in Electronic Devices

   In the design of electronic devices, it has always been necessary to address issues such as miniaturization, efficiency, and EMC (electromagnetic compatibility). In recent years, thermal countermeasures for semiconductor components have been increasingly valued, and thermal design of semiconductor components has become a new topic. Due to its involvement in the performance, reliability, and safety of components and equipment, "heat" has always been one of the important research projects.

    Semiconductor components specify the absolute maximum rated value Tjmax of the chip temperature inside the package, which is the junction temperature. During design, it is necessary to study the heat generation and ambient temperature to ensure that the junction temperature of the product does not exceed Tjmax. Therefore, thermal calculations will be performed on all semiconductor components to confirm if Tjmax has been exceeded. If it is possible to exceed Tjmax, measures should be taken to reduce losses or dissipate heat to keep Tjmax within the maximum rated range. In short, this is thermal design.

    For electronic devices, the requirements for miniaturization and high performance have become natural, thus promoting further integration. Specifically, it is manifested as a higher number of components, higher installation density on circuit boards, and smaller shell size. The result is a significant increase in heat density. Thermal design is becoming increasingly important as it helps improve equipment reliability, safety, and reduce overall costs.

   If the thermal design is not carefully carried out and corresponding measures are not taken during the design phase, problems caused by heat may be discovered during the product trial production phase or even before mass production. Although we may not want to imagine the problems caused by heat, improper heat treatment can easily lead to issues related to personal safety such as smoke, fire, and even fire. Therefore, thermal design is fundamentally very important. Therefore, it is necessary to effectively carry out thermal design from the beginning stage.