Reduced graphene oxide films for reducing hotspot temperatures of electronic devices

Abstract

The increase in the number of transistors in electronic circuits has increased the power density of electronic devices, which leads to the formation of hotspots on the microchips of the electronic devices. Hotspots deteriorate the lifespan and reliability of electronic devices. With the advantages of high thermal conductivity (κ), low cost, and feasibility for mass production, reduced graphene oxide (rGO) films have become a promising candidate for dispersing the excessive heat at the hotspots and alleviating the adverse effects caused by the hotspots. In this study, a chemical–thermal method combining the chemical reduction and thermal annealing process at a relatively low temperature of 1200 °C was utilized for the synthesis of rGO films. The synthesis method lowered the annealing temperature and yielded a high-quality rGO film. A high κ of 1653.9 ± 214.7 W/m-K was derived for the rGO film annealed at 1200 °C for 90 min. In addition, by bonding the rGO film on the Si chip, the hotspot temperature and thermal spreading resistance were reduced by 12 °C and 20%, respectively. The results indicate that the rGO films synthesized in this study retain a superior thermal property and can be employed for the thermal management of electronic devices.