Abstract:
A modular heat sink and semiconductor chip assembly includes a semiconductor chip, a base plate disposed in a heat conducting relationship with the semiconductor chip and containing a plurality of slots extending through the base plate, a plurality of fins individually passed through a number of the plurality of slots and containing voltage less input/output connections to facilitate grounding with the chip, and at least one electrical component passed through one of the plurality of slots and containing a high-density input/output structure on one edge and is electrically connected to the semiconductor chip.

Description:
TRADEMARKS  
       [0001]     IBM ® is a registered trademark of International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, N.Y., U.S.A. Other names used herein may be registered trademarks, trademarks or product names of International Business Machines Corporation or other companies.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0003]     This invention relates to circuit board space, and in particular to a modular heat sink configuration capable of reducing circuit board congestion.  
         [0004]     2. Description of Background  
         [0005]     Electronic devices utilize circuit boards to mount and electronically connect various components of the device. As requirements in features and performance of such devices increase, and because overall size should not increase, space on the circuit board is at a premium. In addition hereto, space within a semiconductor chip is also limited as such devices are very densely constructed.  
         [0006]     One component often utilized within such electronic devices is a heat sink. Heat sinks help to conductively then convectively dissipate heat from a device such as a semiconductor chip. Heat sinks generally do not have electrical functionality and therefore occupy space in the electronic device without providing maximum benefit.  
         [0007]     In addition to the foregoing, other components are located throughout the circuit board also occupying space thereon. For example, L2 cache memory, voltage regulation modules (“VRM”), etc., are components commonly found on circuit boards. The L2 cache is a type of memory that is commonly located on the circuit board and may be at some distance from the chip. When the L2 cache is installed in other locations on the circuit board, its function may be inefficient and affected by noise because of the distance between the chip and the L2 cache. Alternatively, the L2 cache can be incorporated into the chip circuitry. In such case, similar to when installed on the board, the L2 cache uses valuable space in the chip.  
         [0008]     One or more VRMs are also commonly installed on the circuit board of electronic devices. A VRM is an electronic component that provides the appropriate supply voltage to a chip. It is typically located on the circuit board at a distance from the chip. Because of its location, the VRM&#39;s monitoring of the chip voltage is not optimal, and may be affected by noise because of its distance from the chip.  
         [0009]     As indicated above, placing certain components at a distance from the chip has a negative effect on the components&#39; performance. Additionally in the case of the L2 cache incorporated into the chip circuitry, the L2 cache uses space in the chip that may be better utilized in other ways. What is needed is a location for electronic components that is closer to the chip, but is not within the chip itself. Alternative configurations reducing congestion and improving performance would be well received by the art.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0010]     The present invention solves the aforementioned problems by incorporating one or more electronic components into the chip heat sink assembly.  
         [0011]     This is accomplished by the creation of a modular heat sink assembly including a base plate including a plurality of through-slots and a plurality of fins that are individually inserted through each of the plurality of slots.  
         [0012]     The modular heat sink assembly also includes at least one electronic component which utilizes a high-density input/output structure on one of its edges. The electronic component is inserted through one of the slots in the base plate so that the edge of the component including the high-density input/output connection is brought into direct contact with a semiconductor chip which abuts the modular heat sink assembly.  
         [0013]     The modular heat sink assembly also includes one or more fins that include voltage-less input/output connections on one edge and are inserted through slots in the base plate  10 . When each fin is inserted through the base plate, the edge of the fin including the voltage-less input/output connection is brought into direct contact with the semiconductor chip which abuts the modular heat sink.  
         [0014]     These and other objects and features of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the drawings.  
       TECHNICAL EFFECTS  
       [0015]     The invention summarized above provides a location adjacent to the chip for components such as VRMs or L2 cache memory. By shortening the distance between these components and the chip, the components are not as affected by noise and thus their efficiency is increased because of the direct connection to the chip. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0016]     The subject matter which is regarded as the invention is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the claims at the conclusion of the specification. The foregoing and other objects, features, and advantages of the invention are apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:  
         [0017]      FIG. 1  is an isometric view illustrating one example of a modular heat sink according to the present invention.  
         [0018]      FIG. 2  is an isometric view of a modular heat sink assembly with variation in fin size.  
         [0019]      FIG. 3  is another isometric view of a heat sink assembly according to the present invention. 
     
    
       [0020]     The detailed description explains embodiments of the invention, together with advantages and features, by way of example with reference to the drawings.  
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0021]     Referring to  FIG. 1 , an embodiment of a modular heat sink  100  comprises a base plate  10 , a plurality of heat sink fins  20  and one or more L2 cache memory fins  30  and/or one or more voltage regulator module (“VRM”) fins  40 . The modular heat sink assembly  100  is assembled to a semiconductor chip (“chip”)  101  such that one face of the base plate  10  abuts a face  102  of the chip  101  that is opposite to a face  103  of the chip  101  that abuts a circuit board (not shown).  
         [0022]     The base plate  10  is made of a heat conductive material. The base plate  10  has a plurality of slots  11  incorporated into it, one slot  11  for each fin to be included in the modular heat sink assembly  100 . The slots  11  in the base plate  10  are created entirely through the base plate  10  from the face  13  abutting the chip  101  entirely through the base plate  10  to the face  12  opposite the face  13  abutting the chip  101 .  
         [0023]     One or more heat sink fins  20  are inserted individually through the slots  11  in the base plate  10  to make the modular heat sink assembly  100 . In addition to or substitutionally, one or more L2 cache memory fins  30  and/or one or more VRM fins  40  may be inserted through a number of the slots  11 . The quantity of each type of fin included in the modular heat sink assembly  100  depends on the desired electrical efficiency to be achieved and on the amount of cooling required to be achieved by the modular heat sink assembly  100 .  
         [0024]     Each heat sink fin  20  is made from a heat conductive material and is of the desired shape and size to achieve the desired cooling. Because of the design flexibility of the modular structure, the shape and size of each heat sink fin  20  can be optimized to compensate for cooling capacity of the modular heat sink assembly  100  that is lost or otherwise affected because of the incorporation of the other potentially non-cooling components into the modular heat sink assembly  100 . An example of this is shown in  FIG. 2 . Referring to  FIG. 2 , the sizes of two heat sink fins  20  have been increased while the size of one heat sink fin  20  has not, to achieve the desired amount of cooling by the modular heat sink assembly  100 .  
         [0025]     Each heat sink fin  20  is provided with a voltage-less input/output connection on one edge  21 . The heat sink fin  20  is inserted, edge  21  including the voltage-less input/output connection first, through the desired slot  11  in the base plate  10 . Once inserted through the slot  11 , edge  21  of the heat sink fin  20  is in direct contact with the face  102  of the chip  101 . The voltage-less input/output connection on the edge  21  of the heat sink fin  20  is then directly connected to a corresponding voltage-less input/output connection provided on the face  102  of the chip  101  abutting the modular heat sink assembly  100 , and thus is grounded. Each heat sink fin  20  is assembled through one of the slots  11  in the base plate  10  and connected to the chip  101  in this manner.  
         [0026]     The modular heat sink assembly  100  may also include one or more L2 cache memory fins  30 . Incorporating L2 cache memory allows for a greater total amount of L 2  cache memory at the electronic device, and allows the L2 cache memory to be located outside of the chip  101  and off of the circuit board leaving additional space in those two areas to be used for other functions and/or capabilities.  
         [0027]     Each L2 cache fin  30  includes a high-density input/output connection on one edge  31 . The L2 cache fin  30  is inserted, edge  31  including the high-density input/output connection first, through the desired slot  11  in the base plate  10 . Once inserted through the slot  11 , edge  31  of the L2 cache fin  30  is in direct contact with the face  102  of the chip  101 . The high-density input/output connection on the edge  31  of the L2 cache fin  30  then is directly connected to a corresponding high-density input/output connection provided on the face  102  of the chip  101  abutting the modular heat sink assembly  100 , and thus is connected to the chip  101 . Each L2 cache fin  30  is assembled through one of the slots  11  in the base plate  10  and connected to the chip  101  in this manner.  
         [0028]     Additionally, in another embodiment, an L2 cache memory may be combined with a heat sink fin into a single fin that has cooling capability and also includes L2 cache memory capability. An example is shown in  FIG. 3 . A combined cooling/L2 cache fin  50  consists of a cooling portion  51  made of a heat conductive material, and an L2 cache portion  52  that fits into an area of the fin  50 . The cooling portion  51  connects to the chip  101  via a voltage-less input/output connection as described above, and the L2 cache portion  52  connects to the chip  101  via a high-density input/output connection as described above. In this case, the connection area on the chip that corresponds to this combined cooling/L2 cache fin  50  must be provided with both a voltage-less input/output connection to accommodate the grounding of cooling portion  51 , and a high-density input/output connection to accommodate the L2 cache portion  52 .  
         [0029]     A modular heat sink assembly  100  may also include one or more VRM fins  40 . Including one or more VRM fins  40  in the modular heat sink assembly  100  removes the VRMs from the circuit board creating free space on the circuit board that may be used in other ways, and puts the VRMs in close proximity to the chip  101 , allowing for more accurate monitoring of the voltage across the chip  101 . Each VRM fin  40  includes an input/output connection on one edge  41 . The VRM fin  40  is inserted, edge  41  including the input/output connection first, through the desired slot in the base plate  10 . Once inserted through the slot  11 , edge  41  of the VRM fin  40  is in direct contact with the face  102  of the chip  101 . The input/output connection on the edge  41  of the VRM fin  40  then is directly connected to a corresponding input/output connection provided on the face of the chip  101  abutting the modular heat sink assembly  100 , and thus is connected to the chip  101 . Each VRM fin  40  is assembled through one of the slots  11  in the base plate  10  and connected to the chip  101  in this manner.  
         [0030]     To facilitate direct electrical connection between the modular heat sink fins  20 ,  30 ,  40  and  50  described above and the chip  101 , the chip  101  must be provided with the necessary input/output connections in the desired locations on the face  102  of the chip  101  that abuts the face  13  of the base plate  10 . The chip  101  must be provided with a voltage-less input/output connection at each slot  11  location corresponding to each location of a cooling fin  20 , a high density input/output connection at each slot  11  location corresponding to each location of a L2 cache fin  30 , a input/output connection at each slot  11  location corresponding to each location of a VRM fin  40 , and a combination of a voltage-less input/output connection and high density input/output connection at each slot location of each combined cooling/L2 cache fin  50 .  
         [0031]     While embodiments of the invention have been described above, it will be understood that those skilled in the art, both now and in the future, may make various improvements and enhancements which fall within the scope of the claims which follow. These claims should be construed to maintain the proper protection for the invention first described.