Analysis of Thermal Transients in an Asymmetric Silicon-Based Heat Dissipation Stage

Thermal management is crucial for many microsystems and electronics applications (and that of miniaturized spacecraft is particularly demanding). This paper presents thermal modeling and scaling of a generic multiwafer silicon segment for placement in between two devices, or as a stage for a single one, in need of asymmetric thermal management. The unit is autonomous, i.e., it doesn´t require any input signals or power. It comprises paraffin acting both as a heat sink, or thermal storage, and a material activating heat switches. The former mitigates heat bursts and accommodates power initially generated in, e.g., attached electronics, whereas the latter facilitates heat dissipation through heat guides during more intensive operation. Its function and physical properties are described in detail. A lumped thermal model has been constructed and implemented in the Simulink environment to investigate effects from: physical scaling of the unit, and change of its boundary temperature and coupling thereto, power generated, its emission and absorption properties and area fractions dedicated for passive devices, infrared (IR) emission, and heat guides on the unit´s exterior, as well as fractional cross sections of paraffin, heat guides and other structural material in its interior. Conclusions, based on simulation results, are made and design rules based on the thermal modeling are presented. It was found that a 68 times 68 mm module could handle more than 10 W for 6 min in its heat sink mode alone. Subjected to 15 W for the same time, the module enters its active dissipation mode by closing its heat switches. A lateral increase and simultaneous vertical decrease of the unit´s size resulted in overheating, whereas most scaling did not cause depletion of the heat sink. Changing the area fractions of various constituents also indicated operational stability with exception for excessive enlargement of passive heat guide material, exchanging structural material with paraffin, - or severely limiting IR emission (by emitter area reduction or using low emission material), or using high absorbance material. Altering the boundary temperature and interface conductance proved to be means of biasing the system to various operating temperatures.