Integrated micro-channel cooling in silicon

Integrated micro-channel cooling, directly underneath an electronic circuit, for on-chip cooling with forced water convection has been investigated both theoretically and experimentally. In a 1-cm² experimental device, 370 W was dissipated without exceeding the critical junction temperature of 120°C at a flow rate of only 0.1 l/min and a pressure drop of 0.15 bar. The minimum thermal resistance, which is measured, is 0.08 K/W for a power dissipation of 428 W at a flow rate of 1.1 l/min. This more than satisfies the requirements for cooling of next generation CPUs.