Managing heat for electronics

important aspect of computer design, with device performance being significantly affected by temperature. In addition, device lifetime can be decreased drastically because of large thermal stresses that occur especially at interfaces. The ability of a structure to remove heat is best quantified by its thermal resistance, which is given by the temperature difference divided by input power. In microprocessor design, the allowable temperature drop between the transistor (where most of the heat is generated) and the ambient air is constant. As a result, the challenge for thermal management is to develop high-conductivity structures that can accommodate this fixed temperature drop with the increasing power densities that characterize new generations of microprocessors.