From macroscopic cooling to microscopic reliability

This paper outlines 10 years of research by engineers at the Stokes Research Institute (SRI) into mechanical aspects of electronic system design. The theme of the paper is that the work has progressed from focussing on macroscopic aspects of cooling to microscopic aspects of reliability. Because the challenge of producing and improving system reliability includes the challenge of dissipating heat at acceptable temperatures, the paper demonstrates how the scope of the SRI's work has broadened to include thermal and impact stresses and, more recently, the effect of moisture. At the same time focussing on more direct methods of silicon cooling using fibre optics, micro-fans and micro-channels.