Benjamin Henrie 8th of November 2013

Phase change based heat transfer substrate and the doors it opens
In this paper we are going to explore nanotechnology and its uses in microchip substrates; we will also explore substrate advancements and what effect this will have on future microchip production and implementation. Let us start with the question what is nanotechnology? Websters defines nanotechnology as : the science of manipulating materials on atomic or molecular scale especially to build microscopic devices. Something that measures on the Nano-scale would be something 10-9 in size or smaller. As a point of reference, that would be about the same as taking a human hair and dividing its width 100,000 times, then selecting one of those pieces and measuring it. Now that we understand the Nano-scale, let us take a look at computer chip technology so that we can determine where these two sciences intersect. Now without getting too in depth in computer technology, computer chips require transistors to act as either a switch or amplifier. In a computer chip, the transistors aren't isolated, individual components. They're part of what's called an integrated circuit (also known as a microchip), in which many transistors work in concert to help the computer complete calculations. An integrated circuit is one piece of semiconductor material loaded with transistors and other electronic components. (Chandler, 2012) Nanotechnology has grown to a level that allows for thousands of transistors to be placed on one micro processing chip. According to Moores law the numbers of transistors on a microchip will double every 18 months until it approaches a size so small that a microchip will no longer be able to hold anymore. This is where computer technology and nanotechnology merge.

We understand that we can now fit thousands of transistors on one microchip, but this advancement does not come without difficulties. Even when transistors are reduced to the nano level they produce a large amount of heat, and the more transistors placed on a chip the more effort must going to cooling that chip.

Since the dawn of the electronics age, copper has been a preferred material to cool electronics because of its favorable heat conducting properties. But as electronic systems become more advanced, they are generating more and more heat. Too much heat can limit the overall performance of these systems, impacting computing speed and processing power. (Alhart, 2011) Though there are many designs to reduce the heat on a microchip (fans, aluminum or copper heat sinks, and oil circulating heatsinks) these designs present their own problem because they are all based on the idea of removing the heat that is produced by the transistors from the microchip. They take up space and depend on external ventilation to permit the fans to operate. As electronics become more advanced, we are approaching the point where conventional materials like copper cant take the heat. (Deng, 2011) General Electric has looked at this problem and has developed a new innovative way to address the transistors heating issue. The engineers in the research and development department of General Electric have created a new substrate material that allows these transistors to operate producing 50% of the heat compared to normal chips.

For computing to go faster and electronics systems to become more capable, better cooling solutions such as GEs prototype substrate will be required to allow this to happen. (Deng, 2011) This is a product that has at least twice the thermal conductivity as copper and only one fourth the weight, it allows for better component cooling with a more than significant weight reduction. GEs prototype substrate utilizes a phase change base transfer system, this acts to dissipates the heat generated in the electronic systems keeping them cool. With this new substrate is feasible to put twice as many transformers on a chip that are currently found today, with the same amount of heat and half the weight. As if this wasnt enough, the engineers at General Electric discovered something else about their new microchips while testing its capabilities for DARPA. While testing this new chip engineers discovered that it continues to operate under extremely heavy gravitational forces.

GEs prototype operated in conditions experiencing more than 10 times the normal force of gravity. By comparison, this gravity force is more than twice the maximum force experienced on the worlds fastest roller coasters. (Deng, 2011) A computer chip that can withstand every G forces would naturally be beneficial to the Aeronautics field, and would find many uses by both the military and NASA. While I may have a cursory understanding of the applications of such electronic advancements, I can in no way claim to be an expert in the field; so I picked up the phone and call Donald Kirk, GEs leading nuclear structural dynamics engineer to find out what other applications these new computer chips would be used for. While talking to Donald about this substrate and its technical specs I was surprised when the informing the range that this chip could occupy in the field of critical technological operations. He explained to me that these chips would be helpful in computers and beneficial in aviation but that they

would also play a critical role in the safety equipment of systems that cannot fail. There are systems that control water levels in nuclear reactors that prevent meltdowns, these systems require a battery of tests involving scenarios that include airplanes crashing into the building and direct nuclear strikes. I found this interesting but did not understand the direct application of this technology until Donald explained to me that the computers that control the safety features of nuclear reactors can suffer heavy G Force loads and abuse during both man-made and natural disasters and are required to function once a disaster has passed to prevent meltdowns. He explained that the computers to control water levels have to be able to sustain operations through earthquakes like Japan saw two years ago. Though Japans computers survived the forces placed on it by the earthquake the resulting tsunami destroyed its generators creating a nuclear emergency. Donald continued to enumerate scenarios in which equipment would come under heavy G Force while under normal day-to-day operations and still be required to operate. Airplanes in space shuttles are obvious scenarios, but ships at sea also find themselves in elevated G forces while fighting rough waters, plus there is an innumerable amount of safety equipment that must operate after natural disasters such as earthquakes or tornadoes that exert a large amount of force on emergency equipment. (Kirk, 2013) Things such as hospital equipment and emergency generators must continue to function after the forces of earthquakes and tornadoes have subsided so that emergency services can be rendered to the populace. Military equipment must be able to sustain continuous abuse in the field or in the air while still operating, often being required to survive scenarios that even the occupants wouldnt survive. I found myself surprised at all the advancements one simple substrate could open up, and the multitude of uses for the heavy gravity attributes that were discovered by accident as a byproduct of the original goal. While I was unable to get an update from the research and development department on where they have gone with this project since 2011, I am extremely excited to see the advancements that will be made possible due to a small research and development team dedicated to using nanotechnology to better our world.

Bibliography
Alhart, T. (2011, March 15). GE Scientists Demonstrate Breakthrough Thermal Material System to Enable Faster Computing. Retrieved Oct 27, 2013, from GE imagination at work: http://www.genewscenter.com/Press-Releases/GE-Scientists-Demonstrate-BreakthroughThermal-Material-System-to-Enable-Faster-Computing-2f41.aspx#downloads Chandler, N. (2012, March). How transistors work. Retrieved Nov 7, 2013, from how stuff works: http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/transistor3.htm Deng, D. T. (2011, march 15). news /Press-Releases/GE-Scientists-Demonstrate-Breakthrough-ThermalMaterial-System-to-Enable-Faster-Computing. Retrieved oct 27, 2013, from GE imagination at work: http://www.genewscenter.com/Press-Releases/GE-Scientists-Demonstrate-BreakthroughThermal-Material-System-to-Enable-Faster-Computing-2f41.aspx#downloads Kirk, D. (2013, November 6). nuclear structural dynamics engineer. (B. Henrie, Interviewer)