Thermal Interface Properties of Cu-filled Vertically Aligned Carbon Nanofiber Arrays

• Published in: Nano letters Vol. 4; no. 12; pp. 2403 - 2407
• Main Authors: Ngo, Quoc, Cruden, Brett A, Cassell, Alan M, Sims, Gerard, Meyyappan, M, Li, Jun, Yang, Cary Y
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC American Chemical Society 01.12.2004
• Subjects: Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Contact resistance, contact potential; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Electronic structure and electrical properties of surfaces, interfaces, thin films and low-dimensional structures; Electronic transport in interface structures; Exact sciences and technology; Materials science; Nanoscale materials and structures: fabrication and characterization; Nanotubes; Physics; Scanning electron microscopy; Inorganic compounds; Contact resistance; Nanofiber; Crystal growth from vapors; Experimental study; Integrated circuits; CVD; Interfaces; Carbon fibers; Transmission electron microscopy; Nanocomposites; Transition elements; Copper; Nanostructured materials; Thermal conduction
• ISSN: 1530-6984; 1530-6992
• DOI: 10.1021/nl048506t

Nanoengineered materials have emerged as efficient thermal interface materials in a variety of thermal management applications. For example, integrated circuits (IC) are subject to tight thermal budgets to maintain acceptable reliability standards. This letter presents thermal contact resistance measurement results and analyses for copper gap-filled carbon nanofiber−copper composite arrays. Experimental results demonstrate the efficient interfacial thermal conduction of these structures. Using copper as a gap-fill material for improving lateral heat spreading and mechanical stability is discussed.