Patent ID: 7364684

Claim:
A method of producing a fluid-cooled microelectronic package, comprising the steps of: attaching microelectronic components to a substrate to form a microelectronic assembly; encapsulating at least a portion of the microelectronic assembly by over-molding said portion of said microelectronic assembly with a plastic encapsulant so as to leave a coolant channel free of said encapsulant, said coolant channel being defined by the encapsulant and by surfaces of said microelectronic components; supplying a coolant to said coolant channel, the coolant thereby coming into direct contact with said surfaces of said microelectronic components; wherein the step of over-molding said portion of said microelectronic assembly includes the steps of: positioning a form relative to said microelectronic assembly such that said form is maintained in contact with said surfaces of said microelectronic components; insert-molding said form with said encapsulant; removing said form to create said coolant channel; and wherein said form comprises a material having a coefficient of thermal expansion that is greater than that of said encapsulant and said microelectronic components, and the method includes the steps of: cooling said assembly and encapsulant following the step of insert-molding; and removing said form after said form has contracted due to cooling said assembly and encapsulant; and wherein the material of said form comprises silicone.