Transient Frequency-Domain Thermal Measurements With Applications to Electronic Packaging

Non-uniform power distribution, increased die-size, and multiple-chip modules present new challenges for the thermal management of modern integrated circuit (IC) packages. Thermal characterization techniques capable of resolving partial thermal resistances at the component level have received increased emphasis in development of advanced packaging technologies. This paper aims to develop a practical method for thermal characterization of IC packages using the frequency-domain measurement technique as a complementary technique to the widely used time-domain thermal transient measurement technique. This paper discusses practical implementation of the technique and demonstrates both thermal modeling and experimental results. Thermal impedances measured in frequency-domain yield the structure function, which describes the dynamic thermal response of the device based on thermal RC network analysis. Various applications of this technique in thermal characterization of the IC packages subjected to field conditions are also discussed.