Printed Circuit Board with Advanced Processing Unit. Electronic Devices Production Industry. Fully Automated PCB Assembly Line. Conveyor on Electronics Factory.
Recent advances in semiconductor manufacturing have led to increases in computational performance at the cost of increasing power densities and attendant thermal management issues. One key to solving these challenges is to reduce the thermal resistance of interfaces in the electronics packaging stack, using advanced thermal interface materials (TIMs). However, existing TIMs often suffer from reliability issues and introduce costly manufacturing complexities. In this SBIR Phase II project, Arieca will build upon our proprietary liquid metal embedded elastomer (LMEE) composite architecture to develop an “ultimate TIM” to imrpvoe reliability and reduce cost of thermal management at scale.
This LMEE-based TIM will outperform existing TIMs by combining the superior thermal resistance of metal-based solid TIMs (S-TIMs) with the mechanical reliability of polymer-based TIMs (P-TIMs) and the high volume manufacturing compatibility of thermal greases. Our strategy in Phase II is to synthesize an LMEE-based TIM that forms a robust bond between the surfaces of the semiconductor chip and surrounding enclosure, maintains a controlled “bond line thickness” (BLT) between the chip and enclosure, and has the necessary rheology for syringe-based dispensing using both augers and pneumatic dispensers. This will involve a comprehensive technical plan that includes materials synthesis, performance characterization, in-package evaluation, and scale-up to high volume production. We look forward to delivering this ultimate TIM to our customers in the integrated device manufacturers (IDMs) and the outsourced semiconductor assembly and testing (OSAT) industry.
Company will use the manufacturing partnership with Nissan Chemical to provide high volume manufacturing of its Liquid Metal-based thermal interface materials (TIMs) and supply to the Asian market.
(Pittsburgh, PA.) Arieca Inc., the leader in liquid-metal based thermal interface materials for high performance computing and high-power semiconductor devices, today announced a manufacturing partnership with Nissan Chemical Corporation to exclusively manufacture Arieca’s TIM in Asia. This partnership provides Arieca’s customers with reliable and world class manufacturing at the Nissan Chemical plant in Sodegaura for the most demanding applications.
Figure 1. Arieca’s Team visiting Nissan Chemical Sodegaura Plant in Japan
“Supply chain resiliency is on the top of our customers’ minds. I am delighted to share this exciting partnership, where we can combine Arieca’s innovative material technology with Nissan Chemical Corporation’s world class manufacturing capabilities. Additionally, manufacturing at the Sodegaura plant in Japan helps the semiconductor industry achieve their carbon neutrality targets, by reducing scope 3 emissions for each of our customers,” said Dr. Navid Kazem, CEO and Co-Founder at Arieca.
“Nissan Chemical is a reliable supplier of several materials in the semiconductor industry. We are excited to continue building a cooperative partnership with the Arieca team, and provide manufacturing services for their innovative technology in the Asian market.” said Endo Hideyuki, Managing Executive Officer, and Head of Planning and Development Division at Nissan Chemical. Hata Toshiyuki, Executive Officer, and Plant Manager of Sodegaura Plant, added that “Our plant has been preparing to manufacture Arieca’s TIM material. We are very excited to be able to provide innovative products to Asian customers from our Sodegaura plant.”
About Arieca
Arieca is a high growth advanced materials startup that is pushing the boundaries of material functionalities in the most demanding applications. Our patented Liquid Metal Embedded Elastomer (LMEE) technology allows for unprecedented performance in applications across the semiconductor, aerospace, automotive, and healthcare industries. Our main products are TIMbberTM – an adaptable thermal interface material (TIM) for high performance semiconductor and power devices, and Thubber® – a soft, stretchable, and thermally conductive elastomer. Arieca was spun off from Carnegie Mellon University in 2018.
About Nissan Chemical Corporation
Nissan Chemical Corporation is now moving forward to develop new products and business through utilization of our core technologies as the chemical company with our corporate vision of becoming a corporate group that “contribute to the protection of the global environment and the existence/ development of humanity, offering the value sought by society”. The Planning and Development Division’s mission is to create new products and businesses which are the pillars of our future in “information and communication”, “environment and energy” and “life sciences other than pharmaceuticals and agrochemicals”. While to clarify the characteristics of the new seeds with highly originality and capture the market needs, we are promoting the actual demand of new products that meet customer needs. For more details, please visit nissanchem.co.jp.
3d rendering ev car or electric vehicle plug in with recharging station display with digital graphic interface
(Pittsburgh, PA.) Arieca, a leader in liquid-metal-based Thermal Interface Materials (TIM), entered into a joint research agreement with ROHM Co., Ltd., a leading provider of power semiconductor devices for the xEV market, to develop next-generation TIM using Arieca’s Liquid Metal Embedded Elastomer (LMEE) Technology. This joint research leverages the LMEE platform to provide high heat transfer without the reliability issues facing conventional TIM technologies.
“ROHM is a global leader in SiC power module technology,” Navid Kazem, Arieca’s CEO said. “Their SiC devices can significantly improve power delivery in xEV while reducing the size of power inverters. Arieca is excited to partner with such an innovative company to improve the performance of power module assembly in the xEV market.”
“We need an innovative thermal interface material between the power module and heat sink,” said Ken Nakahara, Fellow and Head of ROHM’s R&D Center. “The most important requirement is compatibility with sufficient thermal conductivity and reliability, which are usually in a trade-off relationship. Arieca’s LMEE has the possibility to satisfy this prerequisite, allowing us to innovate in the xEV market. As a result, we decided to start collaborative R&D with Arieca. “This joint research agreement provides ROHM with the latest TIM technologies required to successfully introduce next-generation SiC power modules for xEV applications.”
About Arieca
Arieca is a high growth advanced materials start-up that is pushing the boundaries of material functionalities in the most demanding applications. Our patented Liquid Metal Embedded Elastomer (LMEE) technology allows for unprecedented performance in applications across the semiconductor, aerospace, automotive, and healthcare industries. Our main products are TIMbberTM – an adaptable thermal interface material (TIM) for high performance semiconductor and power devices, and Thubber® – a soft, stretchable, and thermally conductive elastomer. Arieca is a spin-off from Carnegie Mellon University in 2018.
About ROHM
Founded in 1958, ROHM provides LSI and discrete semiconductors characterized by outstanding quality and reliability for a broad range of markets, including automotive, industrial and consumer market via its global development and sales network. In the power ＆ analog field, ROHM proposes the suitable solution for each application with power devices such as SiC, driver ICs to maximize their performance, and peripheral components such as transistors, diodes and resistors.
Further information on ROHM can be found at www.rohm.com
In this project we will address challenges with the limited battery life of wearable healthcare technologies for continuous physiological monitoring. We will develop self-powered wireless soft electronics that adhere to the skin and monitor physiological vitals. These electronic stickers will be powered through a combination of on-board batteries and energy harvesting transducers. This project is in collaboration with Carnegie Mellon University, Prof. Carmel Majidi Soft Machines Lab, and Dr. Christopher Tabor at Air Force Research Lab (AFRL).
Energy harvesting will be achieved using thermoelectric and triboelectric power generation from body heat and motion, respectively. LMEE will be integrated into both generators – as
a thermal interface material for thermoelectric heat management and a dielectric elastomer and conductive electrode for triboelectric harvesting. As part of this NBMC-sponsored effort, Arieca will also explore the use of LMEEs as electrically-conductive elastomers for stretchable circuit wiring and bioelectrodes.
Thermal management issues in the semiconductor industry are driven by a sharp increase in power densities. To resolve these issues, many attempts are being investigated in device packaging to extract the heat generated away and maintain the functionality of the device. Existing thermal interface materials (TIMs) play an important role in transferring the heat efficiently but suffer from challenges associated with interfacial contact thermal resistance, optimized distribution of TIM over the die surface, pump-out and delamination.
This SBIR project supports Arieca’s efforts to create a TIM version of LMEEs, which we call TIMbberTM, to overcome these challenges. Specific efforts will focus on refining the formulation and fabrication to meet customer specifications. This includes improvement of the TIMbber material composition, development of a scalable manufacturing process, and characterization of materials properties for TIM applications.
Elastomers like silicone rubber have a central role in space technologies. They are used as sealants, encapsulants, connectors — e.g. gaskets, O-rings, etc. — and diaphragms in propellant tanks, docking mechanisms, optical systems, and a wide range of other subsystems used in spacecraft. Because of their ability to dissipate mechanical energy, elastomers can also be used for vibration mounts and shock absorbers. However, the poor thermal conductivity of existing elastomers can result in damaging hot spots from heat trapping or extreme internal stresses from mismatches in temperature and thermal expansion. This can be especially problematic for applications in which elastomers are used to seal or encapsulate propulsion systems, electronic instrumentation, laser optics, and other heat-producing components and subsystems.
[Credit: NASA; public domain image]
In this SBIR project, Arieca will work with NASA to explore ways to use LMEEs to address these critical challenges in space technologies. Specifically, the team will develops a “space grade” version of LMEEs that exhibits the following properties: (i) negligible outgassing, (ii) withstand wide operational temperature range, (iii) Ability to survive cryogenic exposure and deep freeze storage, and (iv) resistance to embrittlement from irradiation. Such materials would eliminate the need for additional heat management systems that would otherwise be required to ensure uniform temperature distribution and to prevent heat from getting trapped.
To learn more about Arieca’s Space Grade formulations, reach out to partner@arieca.com.
