Thermal Interface Materials are widely used for the heat conduction of IC and electronic products, which is to fill the small gap and rough holes between two materials, to reduce the thermal resistance and improve the thermal conductive performance. To keep the work temperature of the component junction within the safety temperature, the heat from the semiconductor must be transferred to the surroundings. The procedure include the heat transferred from the surface of device to the heatsink and the surroundings.
The heat sink should be attached with the device carefully to make the thermal resistance as small as possible. If attach the heat sink with surface of the semiconductor, it requires the two parts should be connected tightly. The surfaces are always rough,
which only can be seen under the microscope. When the two surfaces connected, only the high points are touched, the low points form the air gap. And there are over 90%of the contact zone are air gaps ,which means it will be the thermal resistance. The thermal interface materials can fill the air gap and the rough surface, its thermal conductivity is much higher that the air, through the TIMs, the thermal resistance of the junction will be less, and the temperature will be lower.