Sealed self-contained fluidic cooling device

Abstract

A cooling system and method for cooling electronic components, including IC dies. The cooling system employs a cooling device that includes a composite structure having first and second plates arranged substantially in parallel and bonded together to define a sealed cavity therebetween. The first plate has a surface that defines an outer surface of the composite structure and is adapted for thermal contact with at least one electronic component. A mesh of interwoven strands is disposed within the cavity and lies in a plane substantially parallel to the first and second plates, with the strands bonded to the first and second plates. A fluid is contained and sealed within the cavity of the composite structure, and flows through interstices defined by and between the strands of the mesh.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A cooling device comprising:
 a first plate and a second plate bonded together to define a sealed cavity between the first plate and the second plate, the first plate having an outer surface adapted for thermal contact with an electronic component;   a first mesh disposed within the sealed cavity and lying in a plane substantially parallel to the first and second plates, the first mesh comprising interwoven strands extending between the first plate and the second plate;   a fluid contained and sealed within the sealed cavity; and   interstices defined by and between the interwoven strands of the mesh through which the fluid within the sealed cavity is able to flow.   
     
     
         2 . The cooling device of  claim 1 , further comprising a heat slug disposed on the outer surface of the first plate and of sufficient size to buffer transient heat spikes of the electronic component. 
     
     
         3 . The cooling device of  claim 2 , wherein the outer surface of the cooling device is limited to thermal contact with the electronic component through the heat slug. 
     
     
         4 . The cooling device of  claim 3 , wherein the heat slug physically contacts the electronic component. 
     
     
         5 . The cooling device of  claim 1 , further comprising a second mesh disposed within the sealed cavity and lying in the plane substantially parallel to the first and second plates, the second mesh spaced apart from the first mesh and comprising interwoven strands extending between the first plate and the second plate. 
     
     
         6 . The cooling device of  claim 5 , wherein the first mesh is positioned within the sealed cavity to align with a heat slug disposed on the outer surface of the first plate, and wherein the second mesh is positioned at a periphery of the first mesh. 
     
     
         7 . The cooling device of  claim 5 , wherein the interwoven strands of the first mesh are bonded to the first plate and the second plate, and the interwoven strands of the second mesh are bonded to the first plate and the second plate 
     
     
         8 . The cooling device of  claim 5 , further comprising a pump mounted within the sealed cavity, the pump configured to circulate the fluid within the sealed cavity in a flow direction generally parallel to the first and second plates so that fluid flow becomes turbulent as the fluid is forced to flow through the interstices. 
     
     
         9 . The cooling device of  claim 5 , wherein the sealed cavity is configured to convect heat from the first mesh and/or the first plate to the second mesh via the fluid. 
     
     
         10 . The cooling device of  claim 1 , wherein the sealed cavity is configured so that heat transfer from the electronic component is through the first plate, through the sealed cavity containing the first mesh and the fluid, and through the second plate, from which heat is dissipated by convection to the environment. 
     
     
         11 . A method of transferring thermal energy from an electronic component, the method comprising:
 absorbing heat dissipated by an electronic component with a first plate arranged substantially in parallel and bonded to a second plate so as to define a sealed cavity between the first and second plates, the first plate having a surface that defines an outer surface of the sealed cavity and adapted for thermal contact with the electronic component, a fluid contained within the sealed cavity;   conducting heat from the first plate and through the sealed cavity and into the second plate via a first mesh contained in the sealed cavity, the first mesh lying in a plane substantially parallel to the first and second plates, the first mesh comprising interwoven strands extending between the first and second plates and defining interstices through which the fluid is able to flow;   convecting heat from the first plate and/or the first mesh to the second plate via the fluid contained within the sealed cavity; and   dissipating the absorbed heat from the second plate.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising providing a pump mounted within the sealed cavity. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising forcing fluid through the interstices so that the fluid flow through the interstices becomes turbulent. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising providing a second mesh, the second mesh spaced from the first mesh, the second mesh lying in the plane substantially parallel to the first and second plates, the second mesh comprising interwoven strands extending between the first and second plates and defining interstices through which the fluid is able to flow. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising convecting heat from the first plate and/or the first mesh to the second mesh via the fluid contained within the sealed cavity. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the sealed cavity is configured so that heat transfer from the electronic component is primarily through the first plate, through the sealed cavity containing the mesh and the fluid, and through the second plate, from which the heat is dissipated by convection to the environment. 
     
     
         17 . A method of manufacturing a cooling device comprising:
 positioning a mesh between a first plate having an outer surface adapted for thermal contact with an electronic component and a second plate, the mesh comprising interwoven strands; and   bonding the first plate and the second plate together along bonding edges so as to define a sealed cavity between the first and second plates, wherein the mesh and a fluid is contained and sealed within the sealed cavity.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising bonding the interwoven strands of the mesh to the first plate and the second plate. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising positioning a second mesh between the first and second plates, the second mesh comprising interwoven strands and spaced apart from the mesh. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising aligning the mesh with a heat slug disposed on the outer surface of the first plate.