IBM Keeps Chips Cool with New Technology

IBM claims the technique, called “high thermal conductivity interface technology,” allows a two-fold improvement in heat removal over current thermal paste methods. The innovation could pave the way for continued development of creative electronic products through the use of more powerful chips without needing complex and costly systems to cool them.

Big Blue researchers say they were inspired by the natural branching patterns of tree roots and human veins, and they used these designs on the chip surfaces. When pressure is applied, the paste used to improve the thermal contact between chip and the attached heat sink spreads more evenly.

Michel said this advance will allow engineers to design more powerful chips and continue to follow the Moore’s Law trend of packing more transistors in ever smaller sizes.