NTI: NanoThermal Interfaces

DoD systems are driving conflicting needs for high performance as well as reduced size and weight. Unfortunately, in many cases, the power consumption of these systems increases with each improvement. 

As a result, the performance of the heat rejection technology has become a dominant limitation in many applications. 

Over the past 40 years, CMOS, tele-communications, active sensing and imaging, and other technologies have undergone tremendous technological innovation. Over this same period, the performance of TIMs in consumer electronics and in DoD systems has undergone relatively little improvement. 

Since the thermal resistance of the TIM is a significant fraction of the total thermal resistance from device to air in many applications, the variations and instability in the performance of TIMs is a growing cause of concern in many systems. Also, many DoD systems operate at voltages, temperatures, frequencies or other parameters that are outside of the range allowed for reliable long-term operation.

As a result, electronic devices often fail in DoD systems and must be replaced in the field. A successful NTI program will lead to the design of many high-performance DoD systems that can be modified to make use of the improved TIM performance, perhaps by operating at a lower device temperature, by reducing the size, weight or power of other elements of the cooling system, or, most likely, by allowing the system to operate at higher performance with higher power consumption.