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Theoretical Strategy for Interface Design and Thermal Performance Prediction in Diamond/Aluminum Composite Based on Scattering-Mediated Acoustic Mismatch Model

At a Glance

Section titled “At a Glance”
MetadataDetails
Publication Date2023-06-06
JournalMaterials
AuthorsZhiliang Hua, Kang Wang, Wenfang Li, Zhiyan Chen
InstitutionsCentral South University of Forestry and Technology, Dongguan University of Technology
Citations6
AnalysisFull AI Review Included

Theoretical Strategy for Interface Design and Thermal Performance Prediction in Diamond/Aluminum Composite

Section titled “Theoretical Strategy for Interface Design and Thermal Performance Prediction in Diamond/Aluminum Composite”

Executive Summary

Section titled “Executive Summary”

This study utilizes theoretical modeling to optimize the interfacial structure of diamond/aluminum (Diamond/Al) composites for enhanced thermal performance in microelectronics.

  • Modeling Framework: The research successfully integrated the Scattering-Mediated Acoustic Mismatch Model (SMAMM) for Interfacial Thermal Conductance (ITC) prediction and the Differential Effective Medium (DEM) model for overall Thermal Conductivity (TC) prediction.
  • Key Performance Drivers: ITC and TC are primarily governed by the interfacial layer’s thickness, its intrinsic Thermal Conductivity (TC), its Debye temperature (θD), and its phonon velocity.
  • Optimal Interlayer Material: Silicon Carbide (SiC) was identified as the most promising interfacial layer, offering the highest predicted TC (up to 848.5 W/mK) due to its superior intrinsic TC, high phonon velocity, and high θD.
  • Thickness Dependence: TC and ITC generally decrease as the interfacial layer thickness increases, highlighting that nanoscale layers (e.g., 1 nm) are crucial for minimizing Interfacial Thermal Resistance (ITR).
  • Carbide Transformation Effect: Carbide-forming elements (Cr, B, Si) are beneficial. The transformation of metal layers into carbides (e.g., SiC, B4C) generally improves thermal performance, especially when the carbide phase exhibits high intrinsic TC.
  • Validation: The SMAMM prediction for ITR (4.44 x 10-9 m2K/W) for a perfect Diamond/Al interface closely matches documented experimental results (5.43 x 10-9 m2K/W).

Technical Specifications

Section titled “Technical Specifications”

The following parameters were used or derived during the theoretical modeling of the Diamond/Al composites:

ParameterValueUnitContext
Diamond Volume Fraction (Vr)50vol.%Used in the DEM model for composite TC calculation.
Diamond Particle Size (a)150ÂľmAverage particle size used in the DEM model.
Modeling Temperature Difference (ΔT)0.2KChosen temperature difference for ITC calculation.
Diamond Intrinsic TC1800W/mKInput parameter for the reinforcing phase.
Aluminum Intrinsic TC237W/mKInput parameter for the matrix phase.
Diamond Phonon Velocity (V)17,500m/sHigh velocity contributes to phonon transport.
Diamond Debye Temperature (θD)2230KHigh θD indicates high cut-off frequency.
SiC Intrinsic TC179W/mKHighest TC among favorable carbide layers.
SiC Debye Temperature (θD)1300KHigh θD for effective phonon coupling.
ITR (Diamond/Al, SMAMM Predicted)4.44 x 10-9m2K/WPredicted thermal resistance for a perfect interface.
ITR (Diamond/Al, Experimental)5.43 x 10-9m2K/WBaseline experimental thermal resistance.
Optimal TC (Si-SiC layer, 250 nm)848.5W/mKHighest predicted composite TC achieved with Si-SiC layer.
Optimal ITC (Si-SiC layer, 250 nm)4.68 x 108W/m2KHighest predicted composite ITC achieved with Si-SiC layer.

Key Methodologies

Section titled “Key Methodologies”

The theoretical strategy involved a multi-step modeling approach combining phonon transport physics and effective medium theory:

  1. Interface Structure Simplification: The complex interfacial region resulting from surface metallization and high-temperature processing was simplified into a multi-layer model: Diamond / Carbide / Metal / Intermetallics / Aluminum Matrix.
  2. Thermal Resistance Establishment: The total thermal resistance (Rb) was defined as the sum of interfacial thermal resistances (Rinterface, calculated via SMAMM) and the intrinsic thermal resistances (Rresistance) of the intermediate layers (R = l/K, where l is thickness and K is intrinsic TC).
  3. Interfacial Thermal Conductance (ITC) Calculation (SMAMM): The Scattering-Mediated Acoustic Mismatch Model (SMAMM) was used to calculate the net heat flux (q) across the interface, assuming phonons are the dominant heat carriers.
    • The calculation incorporated the Debye frequency (ωd<) and the transmissivity (Îą(θ,ω)), which accounts for the scattering mismatch based on the Debye temperatures and phonon velocities of the adjacent materials.
  4. Composite Thermal Conductivity (TC) Prediction (DEM): The Differential Effective Medium (DEM) model was applied to predict the overall effective TC (Kceff) of the composite, using the calculated ITC (hc) and fixed parameters (50 vol.% diamond, 150 Âľm particle size).
  5. Parameter Variation Analysis: The models were used to systematically evaluate:
    • The effect of various metal layers (B, Si, Cr, Ti, Zr, W, Mo) and carbide layers (SiC, B4C, TiC, ZrC, WC, Mo2C, Cr7C3, Cr3C2) on ITC and TC across thicknesses from 0.01 Âľm to 2 Âľm.
    • The impact of carbide transformation percentage (0% to 100%) within a fixed 250 nm layer thickness.

Commercial Applications

Section titled “Commercial Applications”

High-TC Diamond/Al composites, optimized using this theoretical strategy, are critical for industries requiring advanced thermal management solutions:

  • Microelectronic Packaging: Used as high-performance heat sinks, baseplates, and substrates for high-power electronic devices (e.g., IGBT modules, RF power amplifiers).
  • Semiconductor Devices: Essential for cooling wide-bandgap (WBG) semiconductors (like GaN and SiC devices) where high operating temperatures and power densities are common.
  • Electric Vehicles (EVs): Thermal management of critical power electronics, including inverters, converters, and battery cooling systems, to ensure reliability and efficiency.
  • Aerospace and Defense: Fabrication of lightweight, thermally stable components for radar systems and avionics, where minimizing weight while maximizing heat dissipation is crucial.
  • High-Frequency Communications: Substrates for high-power radio frequency (RF) modules used in 5G infrastructure and satellite communication systems.
View Original Abstract

Inserting modification layers at the diamond/Al interface is an effective technique in improving the interfacial thermal conductance (ITC) of the composite. However, few study reports the effect of interfacial structure on the thermal conductivity (TC) of diamond/Al composites at room temperature. Herein, the scattering-mediated acoustic mismatch model, suitable for evaluating the ITC at room temperature, is utilized to predict the TC performance of the diamond/Al composite. According to the practical microstructure of the composites, the reaction products at diamond/Al interface on the TC performance are concerned. Results indicate that the TC of the diamond/Al composite is dominantly affected by the thickness, the Debye temperature and the TC of the interfacial phase, meeting with multiple documented results. This work provides a method to assess the interfacial structure on the TC performance of metal matrix composite at room temperature.

Tech Support

Section titled “Tech Support”

Original Source

Section titled “Original Source”

References

Section titled “References”
  1. 2006 - High-performance Thermal Management Materials
  2. 2011 - Review of metal matrix composites with high thermal conductivity for thermal management applications [Crossref]
  3. 2013 - The role of Ti coating in enhancing tensile strength of Al/diamond composites [Crossref]
  4. 2015 - Effect of metal matrix alloying on mechanical strength of diamond particle-reinforced aluminum composites [Crossref]
  5. 2016 - Effect of diamond surface chemistry and structure on the interfacial microstructure and properties of Al/diamond composites [Crossref]
  6. 2006 - Interface formation in infiltrated Al (Si)/diamond composites [Crossref]
  7. 2004 - Microstructure and interfacial characteristics of aluminium-diamond composite materials [Crossref]
  8. 2013 - Fabrication of diamond/aluminum composites by vacuum hot pressing: Process optimization and thermal properties [Crossref]
  9. 2022 - Realizing ultrahigh thermal conductivity in bimodal-diamond/Al composites via interface engineering [Crossref]

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