Gen3 embedded cooling for high power RF components

Near-junction thermal barriers severely limit the inherent capability of high-quality wide bandgap materials and architectures and necessitate the development of an alternative, Gen3, thermal management paradigm to reach the goals of future high-power RF applications. Recent Gen3 “embedded cooling” efforts in the aerospace industry have focused on reduction of this near-junction thermal resistance, through the use of diamond substrates and efficient removal of the dissipated power with on-chip convective and jet impingement microfluidics. The options, challenges, and techniques associated with the development of embedded thermal management technology are described, with emphasis on the accomplishments and status of efforts related to GaN power amplifiers.