 | Electronic circuitry operates best and most
reliably at lower temperatures. However, today’s more complex and smaller
device dimensions along with closer packing result in higher heat density and
elevated operating temperatures. |
| Higher operating temperatures decrease the service
life of the device or module. Any temperature sensitive materials used in
a module can degrade and wear out more quickly. Other failure mechanisms,
such as metal migration, can occur, particularly when both high temperature and
humidity conditions are present. Here, metal whiskers or dendrites can
grow from the conducting lines. With lines being spaced closer together in
today’s devices, shorts between lines can occur and cause device
failure. Additionally, when temperatures fluctuate, device
interconnections and other components can fatigue from expansion and
contraction due to thermal stresses and eventually fail. |  |
 |
Higher temperatures also increase the electrical resistance of the
conducting lines within a device or module, slowing the signal speed and
reducing performance. As devices become more complex, conducting paths
become longer and this performance reduction is more significant.
For all of the above reasons, it’s critical to minimize temperature of the
electronics by designing efficient ways of carrying away their generated
heat.
|
Change
