Skip to main content
SHARE
Publication

Fabrication and Performance Evaluation of Double-Sided Copper Nanowire Arrays as Thermal and Electrical Interfacial Layers

by Hsin Wang, Chanaka K Ihala Gamaralalage, Long Zhu, Fei Ren, Weixiao Gao
Publication Type
Journal
Journal Name
ACS Applied Electronic Materials
Publication Date
Volume
N/A

Reducing contact interface thermal and electrical resistances is in great demand across various industries, particularly in the semiconductor industry. This study introduces an approach using double-sided copper nanowire (Cu NW) arrays on copper sheets as both thermal and electrical interfacial layers, designed to effectively accommodate the topographical inconsistencies between contact surfaces. Experimental outcomes reveal a significant reduction in thermal contact resistance (TCR), with a value of 2.5 mm2 K W–1, thereby exceeding the efficiency of reported nanostructural thermal interface materials (TIMs). Additionally, when utilized as an electrical interfacial layer, these double-sided Cu NWs arrays dramatically reduced electrical contact resistance (ECR), outperforming traditional conductive grease in applications necessitating separable bonding, though showing comparable performance to costly silver-based conductive epoxies required for permanent, inseparable bonds. The promising results of the double-sided Cu NWs arrays in reducing both TCR and ECR, confirmed by finite element simulation, highlight their substantial potential in advancing TIMs and electrical interconnection applications across various sectors.