Prediction of Microelectronics Thermal Behavior in Electronic Equipment: Status, Challenges and Future Requirements

Developing virtual performanceand reliability predictive techniques has become essential for the development of (micro)electronic systems. This paper provides an overview of current predictive methodologies, challenges and requirements for the modeling of microelectronics thermal behavior. Critical modeling issues are discussed, from optimizing Integrated Circuit (IC) packaging thermal performance to predicting operational temperature in application environments. A systematic assessment of numerical predictive accuracy for board-mounted electronic component heat transfer is presented. From this evaluation, perspective is given on the current capabilities of Computational Fluids Dynamics (CFD) as a design tool to predict component operational temperature in electronic systems. Potential development areas are discussed for improved analysis.