Characterization of Microfabricated Cantilever-to-Plane Electrostatic Fluid Accelerators for Cooling in Electronics

Abstract

Existing thermal management methods for electronics do not meet technology needs and remain a major bottleneck in the evolution of computing, sensing, and information technology. The decreasing size of microelectronic components and the resulting increasing thermal output density require novel cooling solutions. Electrostatic fluid accelerators (EFAs), also known as electrohydrodynamic (EHD) ionic wind pumps, have the potential of becoming a critical element of electronic thermal management solutions. In our previous experiment, a proof-of-concept meso-scale microfabricated silicon EFA device was demonstrated for enhanced forced convection cooling, enabling a maximum surface temperature reduction of 25°C over an actively heated substrate. In order to further investigate its feasibility for cooling in electronics and enable further device optimization for cooling purposes, it is essential to analyze key characteristics of microfabricated silicon EFA devices. The EFA devices investigated in this study consist of a microfabricated silicon cantilever corona electrode, and a wide and flat collector electrode. Experimental setups include one for current vs. voltage (IV) measurement and one for the longevity test. IV measurements were conducted for cantilever structures with lengths of 5 mm and 8 mm for electrode separation distances of 5, 4, 3, and 2 mm. The tested devices include uncoated and TiW-coated silicon cantilever structures. In the longevity tests, only uncoated silicon cantilever structures were tested and an electrode separation distance of 5 mm was used.