Efficient method for characterization of various thermal interface materials

An increased demand for high performance Thermal Interface Materials (TIMs) has been stimulated by a trend of higher power electronic designs producing significant amounts of heat. Defining the best TIM for an application requires consideration of several factors including thermal and mechanical performance, ease of assembly, reliability, and cost. The focus of this paper includes discussions of a high-throughput method for characterization of the thermal performance of materials and the properties of several thermal interface materials including grease, adhesives and Phase Change Materials (PCM).