CuSiC Metal Matrix Composites Fabricated by Quasi-Isostatic Forging of Cu Coated SiC Powders: The Effect of SiC Grain Size and Forging Pressure on Densification and Thermal Conductivity

摘要

CuSiC metal matrix composite (MMC) heat spreaders with high thermal conductivity and adjustable CTE will enable high power electronics to achieve significantly greater power density and improved reliability. No practical, commercial materials presently exist that demonstrate such a high thermal conductivity combined with the ability to tailor CTE to minimize thermal expansion mismatch stress. Additional benefits of CuSiC are the compatibility with: Cu-Ag brazing, integration of high k (+1000W/mK) substrates and water based cooling to make vapor chambers with effective k>25,000W/mK. Electrolytic Cu coated SiC powder of several sizes was quasi-isostatically forged at different pressures and the affect upon densification, microstructure, thermal expansion coefficient (CTE) and thermal conductivity was determined. CuSiC with an adjustable CTE between 9.5 and 13.2×10{sup}(-6)/°Cand corresponding thermal conductivity between 260 and 324 W/mK was successfully fabricated. These properties, in addition to low cost, have created a market pull for commercialization to address thermal management of high power electronics.