Patent Publication Number: US-2023163046-A1

Title: Variable gap compensation mounting solution for thermal management assemblies

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     This disclosure relates to an apparatus that is configured to improve thermal properties of and protect a stack of electronic components. 
     BACKGROUND 
     In modern electronic devices, the components within the electronic devices continue to get smaller and are housed within smaller bodies. These components produce significant energy in the form of heat, and new techniques are needed to manage these energy loads within the smaller electronic devices. As the electronic devices are very small, minor imperfections can lead to reduced efficacy for internal components because the internal components are not precisely aligned. Even very small alignment issues can cause issues with components that regulate the energy, such as conductors, heatsinks and grounds because well-aligned physical connections help these components to regulate energy. 
     SUMMARY 
     In some aspects, in general, an apparatus can be configured with a point of contact between an energy producing component and a conductor that has high surface area. An apparatus can be configured with a connection between a heat producing component and a conductor that is configurable so that the alignment between the components is easily adjustable before finishing assembly. An apparatus can be configured to thermally regulate a stack of electronics in a highly efficient manner. Methods can be used to adjust alignment of two components that are in contact with another component that produces energy at high levels. 
     In one aspect, in general, the present disclosure provides an apparatus that includes first and second substrates, and each of the first and second substrates include a base and at least one peripheral wall extending from the base. One of the at least one peripheral walls of the first or second substrates includes at least one well, and the other of the at least one peripheral walls of the first or the seconds substrate that does not include a well is mechanically anchored to the well. The apparatus includes a stack having a first and second end, and the stack is disposed on the base of the first and/or the second substrates at the first and/or second ends. The stack includes at least one element configured to generate energy. 
     In another aspect, in general, the present disclosure provides a method that includes contacting a stack with a base of a first or a second substrate. One of the first or second substrates includes at least one peripheral wall that extends from the base and that defines at least one well. The method includes disposing a predetermined amount of adhesive within the at least one well and contacting at least one peripheral wall of the other of the first or second substrates that does not include the at least one well and the adhesive disposed within the at least one well. The method includes curing the adhesive so that the first and second substrates are mechanically anchored to each other by the adhesive. 
     In another aspect, in general, the present disclosure provides an apparatus that includes first and second substrates. The first and second substrates each include a base that supports the stack and at least one peripheral wall extending from the base. One of the first or second substrates include a well-defined within the at least one peripheral wall. The well includes a first portion that has a bottom surface that intersects a first plane parallel to the base, and a second portion that has a bottom surface that intersects a second plane parallel to the base, where the first plane is closer to the base than the second plane. The first and second substrates are mechanically anchored at the well. 
     Aspects can include one or more of the following features. 
     The first and second substrates each may include first and second surfaces, and the first substrate may be in contact with the stack at the first surface. The second substrate includes a protrusion that extends between the second surface of the second substrate and the stack. The first surface of the second substrate may in contact with a component, and the component may receive energy from one or more other components. The second substrate may be a conductor that facilitates the transfer of energy between the stack and the component. The first substrate may include a protrusion that extends from the base and is in contact with the stack. The first and second substrates may each include a protrusion that extends from each of the bases and contacts the stack. The apparatus and the component may be enclosed within a housing of a device. The first or second substrates may be mechanically anchored together with an adhesive that is curable. 
     The at least one well may include a lower portion configured to house the predetermined amount of the adhesive and an upper portion configured to contain overflow of the adhesive as the at least one peripheral wall of the first or second substrates contacts the adhesive within the at least one well. The at least one well may include sides that extend above the upper and lower portions, and the sides may contain the adhesive and prevent overflow of the adhesive when the first and second substrates are mechanically anchored. The first substrate may include the at least one well, and the second substrate may include a protrusion that extends from the second substrate into contact with the stack. The first substrate may include the at least one well, and the second substrate may be free of contact with the stack. The second and first substrates may contact the stack, and the first and/or second substrates may include a protrusion that extends between first and/or second substrates and the stack. 
     The first and second substrates may be mechanically anchored at the well with an adhesive that is curable. The well may prevent overflow of the adhesive from the well to the base of the first or second substrates. The first portion may contain a predetermined amount of adhesive, and the second portion may contain overflow of the adhesive within the well when the first and second substrates are mechanically anchored. The first or second portions may diagonally intersect the first or second parallel plane. The first portion horizontally may intersect the first parallel plan, and the second portion may horizontally intersect the second parallel plane. The first substrate may contact the stack and comprises the well, and the second substrate may regulate energy and includes first and second surfaces. The first surface may contact the stack, and the second surface may contact a component that is configured to receive energy. 
     Aspects can have one or more of the following advantages. 
     The apparatuses and methods described herein provide a technique to regulate energy from a stack to a substrate and, potentially, another component separate from the stack. Since the wells provide a highly configurable connection, the substrate and the stack can be adjusted relative to each other so that the stack and the substrate have a connection that is flush and/or flat. With the flush and/or flat connection, the stack and the substrate can efficiently transfer energy between the components and extend the time before overheating of the stack. 
     The apparatuses described herein provide a technique to connect a substrate to a stack by using a well with adhesive to allow a connect between the substrate in the stack with a desirable surface area connection. With this connection, the substrate and the stack will have a point of contact that is substantially flat or flush, which optimizes the surface area of the point of contact and increases the amount of energy that can be transferred between the stack and the substrate. The substrate may additionally contact another component so that the energy from the stack can be transferred through the substrate to another component and, thus, provide an energy pathway between two components. 
     The apparatus described herein include a substrate with a protrusion that is generally centered relative to the substrate and peripheral walls that can control the gab variability between the stack and the substrate. The protrusion is configured to contact a stack between two substrates. With the protrusion of the substrate being longer than the peripheral walls of the substrate, the protrusion contacts the stack before the peripheral walls are physically obstructed by the other substrate. By using a well of adhesive, the two substrates can be connected by the adhesive, and the protrusion has a point of contact with the stack that has high surface area and, thus, high energy regulation. 
     The apparatuses described herein provide a substrate that can provide protection to the stack for interference with other components. For example, one substrate may be connected with one or more wells and be free of contact with the stack, and this configuration provides protection from undesirable physical interaction with other components to the stack during use or assembly of a device. 
     In some examples, an apparatus provides a configuration to dispose an adhesive into a well of one substrate and connect the substrate to another substrate using the adhesive, and the well holding the adhesive is configured to prevent overflow of the adhesive when the two substrates are connected. Overflow of the adhesive can cause undesirable interactions with the stack, which is positioned between two peripheral walls of the substrate having the well. Since the well has walls positioned to contain the adhesive, the substrate without the well can have varying sizes without causing a leak of the adhesive outside the well. 
     In some examples, methods provide a technique to connect two substrates using a curable adhesive that is deposited in a well that prevents overflow of the adhesive. By having the wells containing adhesive, the user can assemble the substrates at any angle relative to each other. Where the substrates each include peripheral walls that connect at the adhesive within the wells, a user can align a middle protrusion on one substrate with a stack of another substrate so that the connection between the middle protrusion and the stack is flush and has a high surface area. For example, if the peripheral walls of either or both of the substrates are different lengths, the well allows different levels of depth connection between the peripheral walls. 
     Since the well can be configured to have multiple portions (e.g., an upper and a lower portion), a predetermined amount of adhesive can be disposed within a lower portion of the well, and upon connection of the two substrates, the adhesive can form a mechanical anchor. When in an assembly line context, the multiple levels of the well can accommodate substrates having slight variations in sizes, and an amount of the adhesive may overflow onto an upper portion of the well while forming a mechanical connection between two substrates, without allowing the adhesive to leak out of the well entirely and onto the stack. This is advantageous because the same amount of adhesive can be used in many apparatuses, while the substrates can have slight variations, and the production of apparatuses can be streamlined. Since the operator will not have to apply extra adhesive to apparatuses with varying sizes of substrates, the excess adhesive can be saved and easily predicted when assembling the apparatuses. 
     Other features and advantages will become apparent from the following description, and from the figures and claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The disclosure is best understood from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It is emphasized that, according to common practice, the various features of the drawings are not to-scale. On the contrary, the dimensions of the various features are arbitrarily expanded or reduced for clarity. 
         FIG.  1    is a cross-sectional side view of an apparatus. 
         FIG.  2    is a cross-sectional side view of another apparatus. 
         FIG.  3    is a cross-sectional side view of another apparatus. 
         FIG.  4    is a cross-sectional side view of a device including another apparatus. 
         FIG.  5    is a cross-sectional side view of another apparatus. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     In some examples described herein, an apparatus is not necessarily interchangeable with a device. For example, an apparatus can include at least two substrates and a component that produces energy. A device can include at least a housing and an apparatus contained within the housing. 
     In some examples an apparatus includes first and second substrates that are configured to mechanically connect. Each of the substrates includes peripheral walls that extend from a base. One of the substrates includes at least one well that is integrated with its peripheral walls. With this configuration, the peripheral wall of the other substrate is mechanically anchorable within the well by using a curable adhesive. Since the mechanical connection utilizes a curable adhesive, the first and second substrates may be aligned in any fashion desirable before curing the adhesive. 
     For example, when the first substrate includes a stack of components, the first substrate may be connected with the second substrate such that the second substrate contacts the stack in a flush manner. With this configuration, small deviations in the sizes of the first and second substrates do not cause the second substrate to be tilted or angled because the well compensates for small variations in the contact point between the second substrate and the stack. Since the well provides a technique to have a flush connection between the second substrate and the stack, the two components have high surface area at the point of contact and can efficiently regulate the transfer of energy between the second substrate and the stack. 
     In other examples, the first substrate includes the stack, and the second substrate is free of contact with the stack. In this example, the second substrate can be positioned within the well so that the second substrate provides a physical barrier between the stack and other components within a larger device. This is advantageous to prevent damage to the stack during assembly or during use of a larger device. 
     In other examples, the well is positioned within one of the substrates and is structured to retain the adhesive while the first and second substrates are being aligned. The structure of the well allows shifts in the positions of the substrates during alignment such that the adhesive does not leak out of the well and potentially contaminate other components. After alignment, the adhesive can be cured within the well by any known manner. 
       FIG.  1    is a cross-sectional side view of an apparatus  100 . The apparatus  100  includes a first substrate  102  that supports a stack  104  and a second substrate  106 . The first substrate  102  supports the stack  104  at a base  108 , which is enclosed on at least two sides by peripheral walls  110 . In this example, the first substrate  102  has a shape of “U.” In other examples, the first substrate  102  may have any shape sufficient to support the stack  104  and the second substrate  106 . For example, the substrate may have a shape of a bowl (i.e., enclosing the stack  104  on at least four lateral walls), a “V,” a reversed U-shape, or any combination thereof. The peripheral walls  110  extend from the base  108  in a generally perpendicular angle (i.e., about 90 degrees). In other examples, the peripheral walls  110  may extend away from the base  108  at any angle sufficient to support the stack  104  and the second substrate  106 , such as at an angle of about 35 degrees to about 135 degrees relative to a horizontal axis of the base  108 . 
     Each of the peripheral walls  110  include a well  112  for holding an adhesive  114  that mechanically anchors the first substrate  102 , the stack  104 , and the second substrate  106 . The well  112  has the shape of a container or bowl so that the adhesive  114  does not spill into the interior of the first substrate  102  and drip down to the base  108 , which would potentially contaminate the stack  104 . In this example, the well  112  has an inner wall  116 , an outer wall  118 , and lateral walls (not shown but connect the outer and inner walls  116 ,  118 ) so that the adhesive  114  does not leak out of the well  112 . As shown in  FIG.  1   , the adhesive  114  is contained between the inner wall  116  and an extension  120  of the outer wall  118 . The extension  120  has a shape of a box or a square so that when adhesive  114  overflows from lateral sides of the extension  120  the inner and outer walls  116 ,  118  contain the adhesive  114  within the well  112 . In other examples, the extension  120  may be configured as any shape sufficient to house the adhesive  114  when the first and second substrates  102 ,  106  connect. 
     For forming the backbone of the second substrate  106 , a base  122  having top and bottom surfaces  124 ,  126  extends from one peripheral wall  128   a  to the other peripheral wall  128   b , both of which are positioned at the bottom surface  126 . A protrusion  130  extends from the base  122  and contacts the first end  132  of the stack  104  so that the second substrate  106  is at least partially supported by the stack  104 . The peripheral walls  128   a ,  128   b  and protrusion  130  extend from the base  122  at a generally perpendicular angle so that the peripheral walls  128   a ,  128   b  and protrusion  130  have the shortest distance between the base  122  and the point of contact on the stack  104  and/or first substrate  102 . 
     The protrusion  130  has a polished surface at the point of contact with the stack  104  (i.e., the first end  132 ) to have a point of between the second substrate  106  and the stack  104  with a high amount of surface area. The high amount of surface area between the protrusion  130  and the first end  132  creates a highly efficient pathway for the regulation of energy between the stack  104  and the second substrate  106 . For example, when the stack generates a substantial amount of energy (e.g., thermal energy), the contact portion between the protrusion  130  and the first end  132  allows the second substrate  106  to receive energy from the stack  104 . In  FIGS.  1  and  2   , the protrusion  130  is shown as having a length that is substantially the same as a length of the peripheral walls  128   a ,  128   b . In some examples, the protrusion  130  has a length that is more than a length of peripheral walls  128   a ,  128   b  so that the protrusion  130  contacts the stack before the peripheral walls  128   a ,  128   b  contact peripheral walls  110 . In other examples, the protrusion  130  has a length that is shorter than a length of the peripheral walls  128   a ,  128   b . The surface of the protrusion  130  is made by a grinding tool so that the surface is as flat as possible, which may be subjected to additional polishing by any known technique used to make surfaces smoother. The stack  104  may include any component at the first end  132  such that contact with the protrusion  130  has a high surface area. The stack  104  may also be highly polished at the first end to increase the surface area of the point of contact. With this configuration, the second substrate  106  can assist the stack  104  with longer operation times and to avoid overheating by efficiently regulation the transfer of energy. 
     On the other end, the stack  104  contacts the base  108  of the first substrate  102  at a second end  134  of the stack  104 . The contact point between the second end  134  and the base  108  and/or the contact point between the first end  132  and the protrusion  130  are substantially flush so that one or more lateral walls of the stack  104  are generally perpendicular relative to the bases  108 ,  122  and are generally parallel relative to the lateral walls of the protrusion  130 . By having a connection that is flush, the assembly of apparatuses  100  is more easily controlled at a large scale because the stack is sufficiently supported at the base  108  and, thus, can at least partially support the second substrate  106 . 
     As shown in  FIG.  1   , the peripheral walls  128   a ,  128   b  and protrusion  130  are coplanar along an X axis (i.e., a horizontal axis) relative to each other. With the coplanar configuration, a user observing the assembly of the apparatus  100  can determine if any obvious defects exist in either the second substrate  106  and/or the stack  104  due to one of the second substrate  106  and/or stack  104  having a unaligned (i.e., non-parallel) surface relative to the other component. Additionally, the coplanar configuration can assist the operator with determining how much adhesive  114  is required to form an adequate connection at between the first and second substrates  102 ,  106 . For example, if the stack  104  has a height that is tall, more adhesive may be needed in the well  112  to sufficiently anchor the first and second substrates  102 ,  106  together, and in other examples where the stack  104  has a height that is shorter, less adhesive  114  may be needed in the well  112 . 
     The first and/or second substrates  102 ,  106  function to assist the stack  104  with functioning properly and free of obstructions. For example, the first and/or second substrates  102 ,  106  are configured to mechanically anchor without leaking any adhesive onto the base  108 , which could potentially contaminate the stack  104 . The first and second substrates  102 ,  106  may be configured in combination to prevent physical interference during assembly or operation of a larger device by acting as a barrier. The first and/or second substrates  102 ,  106  may be composed of any material sufficient to properly support the stack  104  and/or regulate the transfer of energy from the stack. For example, the first and/or second substrates  102 ,  106  may be configured as a heatsink, a conductor, a support, an insulator, or any combination thereof. For example, the first and/or second substrates  102 ,  106  may be configured as a thermal insulator, electrical insulator, thermal conductor, electrical conductor, or any combination thereof. The first and/or second substrates  102 ,  106  may include one or more of ceramic, a metal, a polymer, a glass, or any combination thereof. The first and/or second substrates  102 ,  106  may have any length extending across the bases  122 ,  108  that is sufficient to support or cover the stack  104 . For example, first and second substrates  102 ,  106  may have a length of about 0.5 mm to about 100 mm or more. One or both of the first and second substrates  102 ,  106  may include a protrusion  130  that extends in similar fashion as the peripheral walls  128   a ,  128   b ,  110 . The protrusion  130  may have any height and/or width sufficient to contact and/or support the stack  104  on one or both of the first and second substrates  102 ,  106 . 
     The peripheral walls  128   a ,  128   b ,  110  function to provide an anchor point between the first and second substrates  102 ,  106 . The peripheral walls  128   a ,  128   b ,  110  may have any configuration sufficient to include one or more wells  112  or connect with one or more wells  112  on another of the peripheral walls  128   a ,  128   b ,  110 . For example, the peripheral walls  128   a ,  128   b ,  110  may be angled related to bases  108 ,  122  of the first and second substrates  102 ,  106  to accommodate different confirmations of stacks  104  or to assist with arranging the apparatus  100  within a large device (see e.g., device  101  of  FIG.  4   ). For example, the peripheral walls  128   a ,  128   b ,  110  may each independently have an angle relative to the bases  108 ,  122  of about 35 degrees to about 90 degrees. The peripheral walls  110 ,  128   a ,  128   b  may have any height or width sufficient to form a mechanical connection between the first and second substrates  102 ,  106  at the wells  112 . For example, the peripheral walls  110 ,  128   a ,  128   b  may have a height of about 0.1 mm to about 10 mm. In some examples, the peripheral walls  128   a ,  128   b ,  110  may have a height and width that allows for insertion into the wells  112  (see e.g.,  FIGS.  1 - 2  and  4   ), and in other examples, the peripheral walls  128   a ,  128   b ,  110  may have a height and width that prevents insertion into the well  112  (see e.g.,  FIG.  5   ) so that another element (e.g., the projection  119  of  FIG.  5   ) forms a connection with the adhesive  114  at the well. 
     The stack  104  functions to assist with one or more electrical operations of a larger device and, hence, can generate substantial energy. In the examples of  FIGS.  1 - 3  and  5   , the stack  104  (see also, stacks  204 ,  304 ) generates energy, and any thermal energy that is generated is ultimately transferred from the stack  104  to the second substrate  106  so that the stack  104  has a prolonged operation time and does not overheat from use. The stack  104  includes at least five distinct components and/or layers, as shown. In other examples, the stack  104  may include as many components as required to assist with one or more electrical operations or with mechanical support of the overall stack  104 . For example, the stack  104  may include between one and ten layers or more. In some examples, the stack  104  is free of contact with first substrate  102  on all sides except for the bottom side of the stack  104 . In some examples, the stack  104  contacts the second substrate  106  at more than one side, such as at a top side and one or more lateral sides of the stack  104  so that additional energy is transferred the second substrate due to points of contact with more surface area. The stack  104  may have any height extending from the first end  132  to the second end  134  sufficient to accommodate varying configurations of components within the stack  104 . For example, the stack  104  may have a height of about 0.1 mm to about 10 mm. 
     The wells  112  function to hold the adhesive  114  in a contained space so that the adhesive  114  does not contaminate the base  108  and/or the stack  104 . The well  112  may be disposed within the top surface of the peripheral walls  110 , and the well  112  and the peripheral walls  110  may extend all the way around in the stack  104  in the shape of a circle, square, rectangle, triangle, or any other shape sufficient to laterally enclose the stack  104  within the first substrate  102 . The well  112  within the peripheral walls  110  may have any shape sufficient to contain to the adhesive  114  within the inner and outer walls  116 ,  118  when the second substrate  106  is bound to the first substrate  102  and prevent the adhesive  114  from leaking into the base  108  and/or the stack  104 . For example, the well  112  may have a shape of a wedge where the extension  120  is diagonal surface extending from the bottom of the well  112  to a top edge of the outer wall  118 . In another example, the well  112  may have a shape of a bowl or cup and be free of the extension  120 . In another example, the well  112  may include a space between the extension  120  and the outer wall  118  so that, if the adhesive  114  overflows onto the extension  120 , the excess adhesive  114  flows into the space between the outer wall  118  and the extension  120 . In another example, the well  112  includes an extension  120  protruding from the inner and outer walls  116 ,  118 , such as when the well  112  has a shape of a cone. 
     The extension  120  functions to form a shape of the well  114  sufficient to contain the adhesive  114  regardless of the height of the stack  104  and/or protrusion  130 . The extension  120  may separate upper and lower portions of the stack (see e.g., lower and upper portions  121 ,  123  of  FIG.  5   ). The extension  120  may have any shape sufficient to hold a predetermined amount of adhesive  114  within the well  112 . The extension  120  may have angled or curved surfaces relative to either or both of the inner and outer walls  116 ,  118 . For example, the extension  120  may have a shape of a triangle, wedge, circle, oval, trapezoid, or any combination thereof. The extension  120  may have any height sufficient to support the well  112  with containing the adhesive. The height is measured from a top surface of the extension  120  of the well  112 . For example, extension  120  may have a height of about 0.05 mm to about 5 mm. The extension  120  may have a width extending from a lateral wall of the extension  120  to a lateral wall of the outer wall  118 . The extension  120  may have any width sufficient to form a depository for a predetermined amount of adhesive  114  within the well  112 . For example, the extension  120  may have a width of about 0.05 mm to about 5 mm. 
     The adhesive  114  functions to mechanically anchor the first substrate  102 , the stack  104 , and the second substrate  106  together. The adhesive  114  may be include any component sufficient to provide mechanical connection between two or more components. For example, the adhesive  114  may include one or more of an epoxy, polyurethane, urethanes, methyl methacrylates, cyanoacrylates, phenol-formaldehydes, polysiloxane, natural adhesives, resins thereof, derivatives thereof, or any combination thereof. When applied, the adhesive  114  may be cured or activated my any means sufficient to create permanent adhesion between two or more components. For example, the adhesive  114  may be cured by one or means including radiation (e.g., UV cure), heat, anaerobic, ambient air, moisture, or any combination thereof. The adhesive  114  may be a one-part or a two-part (e.g., methyl methacrylates, urethanes, epoxies) adhesive. The adhesive  114  may be applied by any means known to the skilled artisan, such as simply depositing the adhesive  114  into the well  112 . The adhesive  114  may be applied in any predetermined amount sufficient to mechanically anchor two or more components together. For examples, the adhesive  114  may be applied in an amount of about 0.00000001 mL to about 1 mL. The adhesive  114  may be applied before or after contacting the stack  104 , the first substrate  102 , the second substrate  106 , or any combination thereof so that a user can determine a precise amount of adhesive  114  that would form the mechanical anchor between the components. Additional adhesive  114  may be applied to the well  112  after insertion of the peripheral walls  128   a ,  128   b  of the second substrate  106 , if the wells  112  do not have enough adhesive  114  in each well  112  to contact at least a portion of each of the peripheral walls  128   a ,  128   b.    
       FIG.  2    is a cross-sectional view a side of another apparatus  100 . The apparatus  100  includes the substrate  102  that is connected with the stack  104  and the second substrate  106  in a similar fashion as the apparatus  100  of claim  1 . Any or all of the elements of  FIG.  2    may have substantially similar properties as the elements described in relation to  FIG.  1   . 
     As compared to  FIG.  1   , the height of the stack  104  in  FIG.  1    is greater than a height of the stack  104  of  FIG.  2   . As shown, the wells  112  of  FIGS.  1  and  2    accommodate different sizes of stacks  104 , while using the same amount of adhesive  114 . Any one of the components of the stack  104 , such as the binders  136 ,  140 , the die  138 , the companion chip  142 , or any combination thereof, may have a height that varies slightly among different apparatuses. Additionally, the first and second substrates  102 ,  106  may have heights at the protrusions  130  and/or peripheral walls  128   a ,  128   b ,  110  that varies between apparatuses  100 . With the configuration of the wells  112 , small variations in the stack  104  and/or the first and second substrates  102 ,  106  do not impact the amount of surface area that contacts at the stack because the wells  112  provide for an overflow of adhesive  114  in the event of a variation in sizes of the components. 
     As shown in  FIG.  1   , the adhesive  114  remains below the extension  120  while the peripheral walls  128   a ,  128   b  are mechanically anchored. On the other hand, in  FIG.  2   , the peripheral walls  128   a ,  128   b  displace a portion of the adhesive  114  so the adhesive  114  flows over the extension  120 . Both  FIGS.  1  and  2    have the same predetermined amount of adhesive  114 . As the adhesive  114  is displaced over the extension  120 , the adhesive  114  is contained within the inner and outer walls  116 ,  118  that extend above the extension  120  so that the adhesive  114  does not leak into the base  108  of the first substrate  102  and potentially contaminate the stack  104 . This is advantageous when assembling many apparatuses  100  on an assembly line or the like because the same amount of adhesive can be deposited within wells to form mechanical connections among components with small variations. 
     The binder  136 ,  140  functions to mechanically hold other portions of the stack together. The binder  136 ,  140  may include any component sufficient to create a mechanical connection between two components of the stack  104  and/or one component of the stack and one of the first or second substrates  102 ,  106 . For example, the binder  136 ,  140  may include one or more components or materials as the adhesive  114 . The binder  136 ,  140  may have any form sufficient to create the mechanical connection and/or provide structural stability for the stack  104 . For example, the binder  136 ,  140  may have the form of a tape, a film, a gel, gap filler, electrical interconnection, solder, solder paste, or any combination thereof. The binder  136 ,  140  may additionally include one or more materials that increase the conductivity of the binder. For example, the binder  136 ,  140  may include metals, silicone, grease, epoxy, electrical interconnection, solder, solder paste or any combination thereof. 
     The die  138  may function as a chip made from a semiconductor material. The die  138  may include any material sufficient to function as a chip. For example, the die  138  may include silicon, indium phosphide, or any combination thereof. The die  138  may be configured as a ceramic or organic substrate to increase the reach between the substrates. The die  138  may function as an opto-electrical component that is amplified by another component of the stack  104 , such as the companion chip  142 . 
     The companion chip  142  may function as another chip made from a semiconductor material. The companion chip  142  may function as a complimentary chip relative to the die  138 . The companion chip  142  may include any material sufficient to amplify energy from the die  138 . For example, the companion chip  142  may include silicon, indium phosphide, or any combination thereof. The companion chip  142  may be interconnected or cemented with the host chip by a ball grid array, copper pillars, or both. 
     The thermal interface material  144  functions to provide a connection point between the stack  104  and the second substrate  106 . The thermal interface material  144  may include any material sufficient to regulate the transfer of energy between one or more components of the stack  104  and the second substrate  106 . For example, the thermal interface material  144  may include any material described with respect to the adhesive  114 . The thermal interface material  144  may have a sufficiently smooth surface such that the second substrate  106  and the thermal interface material  144  have a point of contact with a high surface area. Between stacks  104  of different apparatuses, the thermal interface material  144  may have varying heights, and the height of the thermal interface material  144  may be any height sufficient to form a connection with the second substrate  106 . For example, the thermal interface material  144  may have a height of about 0.005 mm to about 1 mm. 
       FIG.  3    is a cross-sectional side view of another apparatus  100 . In this example, the first and second substrates  102 ,  106  are mechanically anchored at the well  112  so that the stack  104  is contained within the first and second substrates  102 ,  106 . Specifically, the peripheral walls  128   a ,  128   b  are inserted into the well  112  of the other peripheral walls  110  and is mechanically anchored at the well  112  by the adhesive  114 . Based on the individual height of the peripheral walls  128   a ,  128   b , an amount of adhesive  114  is displaced upon contact of the peripheral walls  128   a ,  128   b  and overflows to a top surface of the extension the extension  120 . Above the top surface of the extension  120 , the inner and outer walls  116 ,  118  prevent overflow or leaking of the adhesive  114  when one or both of the peripheral wall (e.g., peripheral wall  128   a ) displaces more adhesive than the other peripheral walls (e.g.,  128   b ). 
     Even though the stack  104  is free of contact with the second substrate  106  in  FIG.  3   , the second substrate  106  may be aligned within the well  112  so that the second substrate  106  covers a top portion of the stack  104 . For example, when the peripheral walls  128   a ,  128   b  are different heights, the base  122  of the second substrate  106  may be angled relative to the top portion of the stack  104 , but the second substrate  106  still covers the stack  104  from physical interaction with the external environment. Since the second substrate  106  covers a top portion of the stack  104 , the stack  104  is protected from interference during assembly and or use of the apparatus  100  or larger device (e.g., when the apparatus  100  is positioned within a housing of a larger device, such as a camera, phone, computer, or other electronic device). For example, the second substrate  106  may obstruct dust particles or moisture from contacting the stack  104 . Additionally, the height of the second substrate  106  relative to the stack  104  and/or first substrate  102  can be controlled by using the variable depth of wells  112  to adjust the desired height and, subsequently, fix the height by curing the adhesive  114 . 
     Although not shown in  FIG.  3   , where the first and second substrates  102 ,  106  have a form of an enclosure when mechanically anchored, the second substrate  106  is free of contact with stack  104  and does not conduct energy from the stack  104 . The peripheral walls  128   a ,  128   b ,  110  and the well  112  may extend around the stack  104  to form an enclosed structure, like a bowl or a box, and when the adhesive  114  is cured, the apparatus  100  may be sealed and substantially airtight or watertight. If the first and second substrate  102 ,  106  are configured as an enclosure, the first and/or the second substrates  102 ,  106  may transfer energy from the stack  104  via convection so that the stack  104  does not overheat. 
       FIG.  4    is a cross-sectional side view of a device  101  including another apparatus  100  enclosed within a housing  103 . The device  101  may be anything that includes electronic modules, such as a camera, a computer, a phone, an analytical instrument, or any other electronic device. The housing  103  may have any shape sufficient to enclose the apparatus  100  into the device  101  so that the apparatus  100  is free of contact with an environment that is external to the device  101 . The device  101  includes a component  148  connected with the apparatus  100  by a thermal interface material  146  at the base  122  of the second substrate  106 . In other examples, the device  101  may include other components that are connected with the apparatus  100  or free of contact with the apparatus  100 . For example, the apparatus  100  may contact two or more components (not shown) with or without a thermal interface material  146 , and the first and/or second substrates  102 ,  106  may be configured to transfer energy from the stack  104  to the two or more other components. 
     The thermal interface material  146  may function to provide a connection means between the component  148  and a top surface  124  of the second substrate. The thermal interface material  146  may be any material that can mechanically connect the component  148  and the second substrate  106  and/or provide an energy pathway between the second substrate  106  and the component  148 . For example, the thermal interface material  146  may include an adhesive that is configured to regulate the transfer of energy. The thermal interface material  146  may include one or more material of the thermal interface material  144  or the adhesive  114 . For example, the thermal interface material  146  may include any material described with respect to the adhesive  114  that would allow for the regulation of energy between two components. The thermal interface material  146  may have any height sufficient to regulate the transfer of energy from other components of the stack  104 . For example, the thermal interface material  146  may have a height of about 0.005 mm to about 1 mm. The thermal interface material  146  may cover a portion of the base  122  or may cover all the top surface  124  of the base  122 . The thermal interface material  146  may contact portions of the second substrate  102  that are not illustrated herein, such as lateral walls of the second substrate  106 . 
     The component  148  functions to receive energy from the second substrate  106 . The component  148  may include any element or conductive material sufficient to receive energy from the second substrate  106 . The component  148  may be configured as one or more of a heatsink, a ground, an electrical component, liquid cooler, or any combination thereof. The component  148  may have any size or shape sufficient to connect with the second substrate  106  and/or the thermal interface material  146 . In some examples, the component  148  may have a length that is equal to a length of the top surface of the base  122  of the second substrate  106  so that the component  148  and the base  122  have a point of contact with optimal surface area, which improves the efficiency of transferring energy between the second substrate  106  and the component  148 . 
       FIG.  5    is a cross-sectional side view of another apparatus  100 . In this example, the first substrate  102  includes the protrusion  130  and the well  112 , and the stack  104  is contacted with the first and second substrates  102 ,  106 . Although not shown in  FIG.  5   , in some examples, the second substrate  106  may also include the protrusion  130  (see e.g., protrusion  130  of  FIGS.  1 - 2  and  4   ) so that the protrusions  130  sandwich the stack  104  between the first and second substrates  102 ,  106 . In this example, the stack  104  has a reverse order relative to the other examples (i.e.,  FIGS.  1 - 4   ) to illustrate that the stack  104  can be first formed, at least in part, on the second substrate  106  and then vertically lowered into contact with the first substrate  102 . For example, the binder  136 , the die  138 , the binder  140 , and the companion chip  142  may be disposed on the second substrate  106 , and the thermal interface material  144  may be disposed on the first substrate  102 , before contacting the first and second substrates  102 ,  106  at the well  112 . 
     In this example, the second substrate  106  includes projections  119  that extend into the well  112  from the peripheral walls  128   a ,  128   b . A predetermined amount of adhesive  114  is deposited within the well  112  at a lower portion  121 , and an upper portion  123  would be free of contact with the adhesive  114  before the projections  119  are inserted into the well. The inner and outer walls  116 ,  118  surround the lower and upper portions  121 ,  123  of the well  112  so that no adhesive leaks from the well  112  due to overflow or displacement stemming from insertion of the projections  119  into the well  112 . Because the projections  119  are configured to insert within the well  112 , the peripheral walls  128 ,  128   b  are prevented from entering the well  112  and simply rest on or contact with top portions of the inner and outer walls  116 ,  118 . 
     As shown, the lower portion  121  intersects a first plane A the extends parallel relative to the bases  108  and the stack  104 . The upper portion  123  intersects a second plane B that extends parallel relative to the base  108  and the stack  104 . In this example, the upper portion  123  and the lower portion  121  intersect the first and second planes A, B such that the upper and lower portions  123 ,  121  are parallel. In other examples, the upper and/or lower portions  123 ,  121  may intersect the first and/or second planes at an angle (i.e., diagonally). The angle of intersection of the portions and the planes may be any angle, such as about 1 degree to about 180 degrees. As shown in  FIG.  5   , the well  112  in this example only illustrates lower and upper portions  121 ,  123  (similarly to the extensions  120  of  FIGS.  1 - 2   ), and in other examples, the well  112  may have multiple portions, such as lower, middle, and upper portions. The well  112  can include as many portions sufficient to contain adhesive  114  and mechanically anchor the first and second substrate  102 ,  106 . The well  114  can have more than a first and second plane A, B to describe the relation of the multiple portions within the well. Having additional portions within the well  114  allows for variation in the sizes of the first and second substrates  102 ,  106 , while using the same amount of adhesive  114  between apparatuses  100 . 
     The projections  119  function to provide a mechanical anchor of the second substrate  106  to the first substrate  102 . The projections  119  may have any height sufficient to extend from the peripheral walls  128   a ,  128   b  to the lower portion  121  of the well  112  so that the projections  119  contact the adhesive  114 . The projections  119  may have a height sufficient to prevent the peripheral walls  128   a ,  128   b  from inserting within the wells  112 . In some examples, the peripheral walls  128   a ,  128   b  may have a width that also prevents insertion into the wells  112 . In some examples, the peripheral walls  128   a ,  128   b  are free of contact with the peripheral walls  110 , and only the projections  119  provide a connection means between the first and second substrates  102 ,  106 . For example, the stack  104  may have a height such that the peripheral walls  128   a ,  128   b  are prevented from contacting the peripheral walls  110  by a space. 
     The present disclosure provides a method of assembling the apparatus  100 . In the method, the first or second substrates  102 ,  106  may include the well  112  for depositing the adhesive  114 , and the first and second substrates  102 ,  106  may each contact the stack  104  (see for example,  FIGS.  1 - 2  and  4 - 5   ). In some examples, the stack  104  may only contact one of the first or second substrates  102 ,  106  because one of the first or second substrates  102 ,  106  is being used a physical barrier for the stack  104  relative to an external environment (see e.g.,  FIG.  3   ). In the methods, the first and/or second substrates  102 ,  106  may include a protrusion  130  that is generally positioned to contact the stack  104 . Where one or both of the first and second substrates  102 ,  106  include the protrusion  130 , the protrusion  130  may contact the stack  104  1) when the first or second substrates  102 ,  106  are contacted with the stack  104 ; and/or 2) when the first and second substrates  102 ,  106  are contacted with each other. 
     The method has two initial steps that may be performed in any order: 1) the stack  104  is contacted with the first or second substrates  102 ,  106 ; and 2) a predetermined amount of adhesive  114  is deposited within the well  112 . The initial steps may be performed in any order because these are precursor steps to contacting the first and second substrates  102 ,  106 . In some examples, the adhesive  114  is deposited or disposed within the well  112  after both the first and second substrates  102 ,  106  contact the stack  104 . After depositing the adhesive  114  and contacting the stack  104  with the first or second substrates  102 ,  106 , the first and second substrates  102 ,  106  are contacted at the well  112  so that the adhesive  114  is contacting both the first and second substrates  102 ,  106 . After contacting and/or adjusting the first and second substrates  102 ,  106 , the adhesive  114  may be cured by any known method or technique described herein or known by the skilled artisan. 
     Contacting the stack  104  with the first or second substrate  102 ,  106  may be split into two steps: 1) a first portion of the stack  104  may be first contacted with the first or second substrates  102 ,  106 ; 2) a second portion of the stack  104  may be contacted with the other of the first or second substrate  102 ,  106  that does not contact the first portion. Then, as the first and second substrates  102 ,  106  are moved into contact with each other, the first and second portions of the stack  104  may simultaneously contact with each other to form the apparatus  100 . In this example, the first portion may include one or more of the binder  136 , the die  138 , the other binder  140 , the companion chip  142 , and/or the thermal interface material  144 . The second portion may include the remaining components that are not included with the first portion. 
     After contacting the first and second substrates  102 ,  106 , the first and second substrates  102 ,  106  may be adjusted so that the stack  104  has a connection that is flush with the first and/or second substrates  102 ,  106 , which improves the efficiency of energy conduction. The adjustments to the first and second substrates  102 ,  106  may include tilting or angling the first or second substrates  102 ,  106  within the well  112  so as to have a desirable alignment with the stack  104 . The adjustments may cause the adhesive  114  to be displaced within the well  114 , and the well  114  is configured to prevent displacement or overflow of the adhesive  114  out of the well  112  and onto a base  108 ,  122  of the first or second substrates  102 ,  106 . For example, the predetermined amount of adhesive  114  may be deposited within a lower portion of the well, and displacement of the adhesive  114  by the peripheral walls  110 ,  128   a ,  128   b  of the first or second substrate  102 ,  106  may cause some of the adhesive to overflow from the lower portion to the upper portion, without allowing the adhesive  114  to leak outside of the well. With this configuration, the predetermined amount of adhesive  114  may be used in an assembly of many apparatuses  100 , and small deviations in the dimensions of the first and second substrates  102 ,  106  allow the apparatuses  100  to be formed without adjusting the amount of adhesive  114 ; with adjusting of the first and/or second substrate  102 ,  106  to desirable alignment, and without risking leaking of the adhesive  114  between individual apparatus  100  assembly. 
     While the disclosure has been described in connection with certain embodiments, it is to be understood that the disclosure is not to be limited to the disclosed embodiments but, on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the scope of the appended claims, which scope is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent structures as is permitted under the law.