Advanced graphite embedding capability for PCB thermal management
25 October 2023Editor's Choice
Manufacturing / Production Technology, Hardware & Services
Teledyne Labtech has announced a major new capability allowing the embedding of layers of synthetic graphite within RF and microwave PCBs. This provides weight savings for applications where size, weight, and power (SWaP) are key.
Heat management is a significant concern in many aerospace defence and space applications where SWaP are key attributes. Gallium nitride (GaN) solid state power amplifiers (SSPAs) are examples of increasingly common devices that benefit from careful heat management. This new technique allows efficient conduction of heat away from such devices, saving system weight and increasing their lifetime. Managing waste heat is a significant problem in today’s electronic systems, impacting reliability and requiring added expense and weight to control effectively. In the latest consumer mobile phones, it is common to employ sheets of self-adhesive synthetic graphite on top of critical semiconductor devices to conduct waste heat from small areas.
Aerospace, defence, and space applications require more precision, repeatability and area of coverage. To address this, Teledyne Labtech has developed a method of embedding thin layers of synthetic graphite inside the structure of the host PCB reliably, saving size and weight, while increasing the lifetime of active devices by permitting operation at cooler temperatures.
“Synthetic graphite is one quarter the mass of copper, and transfers heat four times more efficiently in the X-Y plane,” said John Priday, CTO of Teledyne Labtech. “Replacing PCB ground plane layers with graphite in critical applications such as T/R modules can cause devices to run up to 20°C cooler in our testing.”
Labtech has also demonstrated that thermal copper layers can be replaced with the new graphite technique, while experiencing minimal impact on the passage of microwave signals on grounding layers.
Read more...Accelerating RF PCB design in a 5G world ASIC Design Services
Editor's Choice Design Automation
Billions of IoT devices coming online in the coming years will require RF design capabilities that support ultra-fast 5G speeds.
Read more...Residues on PCBs – Causes and remedial measures Electronic Industry Supplies
Editor's Choice Manufacturing / Production Technology, Hardware & Services
Soldering with wire and iron leaves process judgments up to individual operators, and can produce a wide variety of defects, scrap, or long-term quality issues.
Read more...How AI and ML are enhancing predictive maintenance Schneider Electric South Africa
Editor's Choice Manufacturing / Production Technology, Hardware & Services
The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) is significantly transforming the management of utilities by providing advanced technology that delivers real-time insights into the operational conditions of facilities.
Read more...3D electronics/additive electronics
Editor's Choice Manufacturing / Production Technology, Hardware & Services
IDTechEx’s report “3D Electronics/Additive Electronics 2024-2034: Technologies, Players, and Markets” analyses the technologies and market trends that promise to bring electronics into the 3D realm.
Read more...The new era of low-code and no-code software development
Editor's Choice
With the vast selection of cloud platform-as-a-service solutions, low-code and no-code development platforms, and software-as-a-service offerings available today, business users are more able than ever to create software functionality without turning to the IT department.
printer friendly version