Dow Corning and IBM jointly develop thermal gel and win an award

A global leader in silicones, silicon-based technology and innovation Dow Corning’s TC-3040 thermal gel won the 2016 R&D100 Award. The product is a silicon-based thermal interface material (TIM-1) for thermal management developed jointly by Dow Corning and IBM, which can improve the performance stability of advanced semiconductor chip applications.

Dow Corning and IBM jointly developed thermal gel and won the award

A total of 300 advanced technologies were shortlisted for this year’s awards, including the finalists for Dow Chemical Company and its wholly-owned subsidiary Dow Corning, and 14 other advanced technologies. R&D Magazine presented Dow Corning with the award at the R&D Awards and Technology Conference held Nov. 3 in Oxon Hill near Washington, DC.

“R&D 100 is a highly respected award in the international technology field. The competitors are very innovative. We are very honored to receive the award for TC-3040 Thermal Conductive Gel.” said Andrew Ho, Global Marketing Director of Dow Corning Semiconductor Packaging Materials: ” Today’s advanced semiconductor devices are damaged due to heat, causing semiconductor packaging companies to face tremendous pressure in thermal management. We believe that our breakthrough products such as our powerful silicone and new proprietary filler technology can bring significant benefits to semiconductor packaging companies. Advantage.”

The increasingly dense integrated chip packaging technology demands higher requirements on the performance of electronic devices. However, higher and higher power requirements are required to increase performance, and the problem of running hot is becoming more and more serious. The entire electronics industry is in dire need of innovative thermal management material solutions.

“Through the joint efforts of scientists from IBM and Dow Corning, the performance of thermal interface materials has been improved. Take TC-3040 thermal conductive gel as an example. This product has high thermal conductivity and robust reliability.” Ho added: “This innovative product just won the 3DInCites award earlier. This R&D100 award further demonstrates Dow Corning’s commitment to partnering with industry leaders to actively help customers solve the most pressing challenges in the semiconductor industry.”

Dow Corning (Dow Corning) TC-3040 Thermally Conductive Gel is a one-component curable thermal interface material, which is used to improve the heat dissipation between the IC chip and the heat sink. This advanced gel has excellent thermal management capabilities and nearly doubles the thermal conductivity of other industry-standard thermal interface materials. The product also combines low modulus and high elongation for enhanced stress relief. At the same time, it also has excellent wetting properties, thus ensuring good contact between the chip and the lid, and can accommodate high filler loadings to improve thermal performance. With this material, thinner bond layers can be easily achieved and still maintain excellent die coverage in flip-chip applications.

Darren Hansen, Director of Dow Corning Technology Platform, said: “The success of TC-3040 thermally conductive gel is not only due to Dow Corning’s solid expertise in filler technology and silicone polymer chemistry, but also to internal technical teams and value chain cooperation. Strong cooperation between partners and global customers. TC-3040 Thermally Conductive Gel is an outstanding solution for demanding thermal management applications, and the award for this product is the joint result of all teams involved in the research and development.”

The R&D100 Awards began in 1963, aiming at commending the revolutionary technologies newly introduced to the market, selecting and commending the top technical products of the year every year, known as the “Oscars of Innovation” in the technology industry. Past award-winning technologies include: complex test equipment, new innovative materials, chemical breakthrough technologies, biomedical products, consumer products and high-performance physical technology products across industries, as well as academic groups and government-funded research.