Semiconductors dissipate power. Because conduction now plays a greater role and convection a lesser one in removing heat, thermal management is best accomplished when incorporated starting at the beginning of the design cycle. Heat flow must be planned and thermal resistances minimized. Even CMOS can have thermal problems. At clock speeds above 35-40Mhz, CMOS circuits can consume more power than similar T2L circuits.
Elevated temperatures are a major contributor to lower semiconductor reliability.
And if heat isn't removed at a rate equal to or greater than its rate of generation, junction temperatures will rise. Higher junction temperatures shorten time to component end of life. Removing heat from these devices is a major task facing design engineers of modern electronic systems concerned with improving reliability. Thermal Management Key to successful thermal management is the ability to obtain comprehensive and accurate temperature data under as near to real life operating conditions as possible. Connecting tens or hundreds of thermocouples is very time consuming.