Carbon nanotube growth on different underlayers for thermal interface material application

Thermal interface material (TIM) is a critical component in thermal management of high density packaging systems since both the reliability and lifetime of microsystems are dependent on how the heat is dissipated. Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are promising candidate for development of TIMs due to their excellent thermal and mechanical properties. The thermal conductivity of CNTs can be up to 3000 W/mK in the longitudinal direction which acts as ideal heat transfer path. However, the huge interfacial thermal resistance between CNTs and contact surface hinders the exploitation of CNTs as TIMs. In this paper, we will focus on the growth of CNTs on various substrates and underlayers and analyze the interaction between catalyst and underlayer materials. Microscopic analysis is performed to characterize the quality of the CNT materials and monitor the diffusion of Fe particles into different barrier layers. Thermal conductivity of the CNT TIMs will be measured to examine the performance of the materials