FR4 thermal parameter PDF

COPPER CLAD PCB BOARD: TYPES OF MATERIALS, FEATURES, AND MORE

Copper Clad PCB Board: Types of Materials, Features, and More

What is a Copper Clad PCB?

A copper clad PCB is a type of PCB that features a copper clad laminate. This laminate is a PCB substrate that plays a significant role in PCB manufacturing. A copper clad board is common in the PCB industry. This is because it offers great features. It is an ideal option for high-frequency applications.

Copper clad laminates are widely used to design copper clad boards. These laminates soak in resin with some reinforcing material to make copper clad boards. Copper clad PCBs are available in computers, television, and other electronic devices.

The importance of copper clad is to enhance anti-jamming capability and minimize ground wire’s impedance. Copper clad also reduces the voltage drop of a circuit board. The copper clad boards feature glass fiber as a reinforcing material.

Copper PCB board is lightweight, strong, and durable. This board features electromagnetic shielding benefits. Several industries, including the military, incorporate this board in their devices.

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Types of Material used for Copper Clad Boards

Manufacturers use different types of materials for copper clad PCBs manufacturing. We will discuss some of these materials here.

FR-4

This is one of the most common materials used in copper clad board manufacturing. FR-4 is an effective material with great features. It functions well and is cheaper than other materials. Over time, experts have studied FR-4. Therefore, it can help to manufacture various boards such as halogen PCB.

FR-4 features flammability of –UL-94VO. This material is ideal for high-end applications as it features a Dk of 1MHz -~4.7. The thermal conductivity of FR-4 is about 0.8 W/m/K. Also, it has got CTE of – ~55ppm/℃ before glass transition temperature. The CTE value is ~285ppm/℃  after glass transition temperature.

Copper foil

This is an electrolytic cathode material. Manufacturers deposit copper foil on a thin layer of metal foil on the base of a board. Copper foil can bond to an insulating layer. This helps to create a protective layer to shield the circuit board from corrosion. Copper foil features high conductivity of heat. Manufacturers apply copper foil on a PCB in electromagnetic shielding.

Prepreg

This is fiberglass pre-impregnated with resin. The resin must be dry enough, but not too hard. This will help it to flow and immerse during heating. Prepregs are like FR-4 materials that are reinforced by an adhesive layer. Manufacturers may have different requirements as regards the types and thickness of resin.

CEM-3

This means Composite Epoxy Materials Grade-3. CEM-3 is a fiberglass composite material with a mixture of woven glass fiber. It also contains non-woven glass and core raisin filling. CEM-3 features low mechanical endurance. It is a cost-effective alternative to FR-4. It also has a thermal conductivity of about 0.8w/m/K. The dielectric constant of CEM-3 is 1MHz-4.5~4.8.

Features of the Best Copper Clad PCB

You know the best copper clad PCB board through the feature it possesses. The following features are what make good-quality copper clad boards;

Exceptional chemical performance

It is important to note the chemical performance of a copper clad PCB. A copper clad board with great chemical performance is ideal for electronic devices. The chemical performance of this PCB must meet the stringent requirements for Tg. Also, it must meet the requirements for CTE on a Z-axis and chemical regents resistance.

Great Appearance

The appearance of a copper clad board matters a lot. There are issues that could happen due to unforeseen elements in the fabrication process. Issues like resin points, scratches, wrinkles, and more could occur. If a copper clad board has any of these issues, it will cause poor performance.

Exceptional Physical performance

The physical performance of a copper clad laminate includes peel strength. A copper clad must also feature great heat resistance and dimensional stability. These are some of the attributes that make up the best copper clad PCB.

Size

A copper clad PCB features a copper clad laminate as the base material. Therefore, this laminate must meet some size requirements as regards the intended end design. Manufacturers must consider all parameters. These include the diagonal deviation, length, and width. Meeting these requirements birth an effective copper clad PCB.

Good electrical performance

The best copper clad laminate features a good electrical performance. Manufacturers need to meet strict requirements like dissipation factor and volume resistance.

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Why is Copper Used in PCB?

Copper is one of the most common materials used in PCB manufacturing. The most significant and popular benefit of copper is its high conductivity. Copper is a highly conductive material that can transmit signals easily. It doesn’t lose electricity while transmitting these signals.

PCB manufacturers don’t need to use tons of copper during manufacturing. A small amount of copper has a significant impact. An ounce of copper can cover a whole square foot of a circuit board substrate. Another benefit of copper is that it is widely available and inexpensive. It is a cheaper alternative to other materials.

Circuit boards need electricity to function well. The titular circuits in PCBs are crucial pathways that distribute electric charges from one place to another. These pathways must carry the charges efficiently. Although other materials can carry these electric charges, copper is conductive. Therefore, it is a standard option in the PCB industry.

Copper is highly conductive because it features one valence electron. Such electrons can move from one atom to another without much resistance. Electrons are basic particles that carry electrical charges. Therefore, valence electrons transfer electrical signals. With all these features, copper is considered the ideal element for cladding PCBs.

Copper clad PCBs are more affordable when compared to other PCBs. Copper features almost 98% conductivity. Hence, PCB manufacturers use it to clad circuit boards. The large area of copper clad PCBs increases the shielding and current of the circuit.

Tips in Fabricating Copper Clad Boards

Copper cladding is a crucial aspect of PCB design. However, manufacturers need to pay attention during the fabrication of copper clad PCBs. Here are some tips for fabricating copper boards;

It is important to perform different treatments based on the positions. This is necessary when there are several grounds like AGND, SGND, and GND. Asides from this; it is advisable to hold the power connection.

• It is best to connect by 0 ohm resistor for the single connection of various grounds.
• Pay equal attention to grounding when you begin the layout. It is advisable to create a good layout instead of banking on vias to remove the ground pin.
• Avoid cladding copper on the extra layout area of multilayer boards.
• Do not allow sharp cornerson the circuit board. From an electromagnetic perspective, a corner on the board indicates that a transmitting antenna will impact the circuit later. Therefore, it is advisable to apply a rounding
• Ensure you ground the radiation metal of the voltage regulator to achieve the good grounding

Manufacturers should take note that good cladding on PCB enhances performance. Copper clad boards are ideal for use in several applications. These boards are commonly used in high-frequency applications.

Designing Copper PCB Board

There are software for designing copper PCB boards. Some designers create their prototypes in their lab. Doing this provides them an insight of possible quality problems in their PCBs. However, you will need to get PCB copper clads use for etching.

Altium designer is one of the best programs for designing your copper clad PCBs. This software features the tools needed to build your layout. Also, it includes features to help you design copper PCB boards. Copper clad boards are laminates you can use in a board stackup during the etching process.

Copper etching can be harmful if you don’t handle chemicals well. However, it is a simple way to create your own board without exporting a design to a fabricator. A designer may need to create a simple prototype by etching copper clad circuit boards. But, the designer needs to make a PCB layout with the use of professional design software.

If the layout is successful, you can convert to a CAD file and print it as a negative etching stencil. You need a good program to help you design these CAD files. Altium designer can help you achieve this. Copper clad PCBs feature some design requirements. However, they need to ensure the design can be etched using a ferric solution.

Copper PCB boards manually etched are more likely to feature larger traces. They also have larger pads and have no small drill holes. Cooper boards are either fabricated as one-layer or dual-layer boards. This is because there are no stacking and pressing procedures in these PCBs. You need to create copper clad boards with similar design tools as complex boards. In any circuit board layout, routing, component placement, and via design are important.

Classification of Copper Boards

There are different classifications of copper boards based on some standards. Copper clad boards are in many categories. Therefore, these boards are classified by;

Insulating structure and material

Copper boards are in different categories based on their insulation material and structure. Therefore, there are organic copper boards, metal base copper boards, and ceramic base copper boards.

Rigidity

Copper boards are in two main categories according to rigidity. The first one is the flex copper clad boards. The second one is the rigid copper boards. The flex copper boards are suitable for applications that require flexible boards.

Reinforcing material

Based on reinforcing material, copper boards are in three categories. They are paper base copper PCBs, compound copper PCBs, and glass fiber cloth base copper PCBs. Glass fiber products or paper are common reinforcing materials for PCB copper clad.

Insulation resin

The insulation resins in copper clad boards are epoxy, polyester, and phenolic resin. Therefore, copper clad PCBs are in three categories according to their insulation resin.

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copper board

What is a Double Sided Copper Clad Board?

Copper Clad boards are available in single sided and double sided.  A double sided copper clad PCB features two sided copper traces with a bottom and top layer. These boards feature conductive copper on the two sides of the circuit board.

Double sided copper clad boards are one of the most common PCBs. These boards allow manufacturers to design complex circuits. Double sided copper clad boards are ideal in higher technology applications. Vending machines, lighting systems, and more feature double sided copper clad boards.

Manufacturers prefer double sided copper boards because they use more complex circuitry. The greatest advantage of these boards is that there is an extra layer where you can add more components. This helps to increase the circuit’s density.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where are copper clad boards used?

Copper clad boards are ideal for use in several applications. You will find these boards in consumer electronics like computers, television, and radio. They are also widely used in applications that require high frequency. These boards are ideal for use in the telecommunication industry.

What are the standards for copper clad PCBs?

According to ASTM D1867, copper boards must meet peel strength at high temperatures. These boards must also feature lengthwise and crosswise flexural strength. Copper clad boards must also conform to tests for twist, warp, and blistering. Copper clad PCB manufacturers have to follow the IPC-4101C standard. The IPC-IM 650 is the standard test for copper clad boards.

Conclusion

PCBs provide mechanical support to components on electronic devices. These boards also offer electrical interconnections between components on the circuit. Copper clad boards are commonly used in the electronic industry. Copper is a conductive material that enables heat dissipation in PCB.  An increasing number of electronic devices are featuring copper clad PCBs. There is no doubt these boards play a significant role in electronics production.

FR4 THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY AND THERMAL RESISTANCE IN PCB

FR4 is a common material used in PCB fabrication. This material is flame retardant and has got unique properties. High speed and high performance boards require good signal integrity. The need for heat dissipation in electronic devices is a must.

Most PCB boards that may not be subjected to harsh conditions may incorporate FR4. During the design of a board, a manufacturer should consider the application requirement of the board. FR4 thermal conductivity is well documented. Hence, in this article, we will shed more light on it.

What is FR4?

FR4 is a flame retardant material that comprises glass fiber epoxy laminate. It is a common material used for the fabrication of printed circuit boards. The FR means flame retardant. The “4” in FR4 means reinforced woven glass epoxy resin. This material complies with the UL94V-0 standard. FR4 is the major insulating backbone of most PCBs. This dielectric material is available in multilayer, double-sided, and single-sided boards.

FR4 material features great mechanical and electrical properties. This material is mechanically and thermally stable. It functions as an insulator in a circuit by isolating adjacent copper planes. FR4 thermal resistance is one of its major benefits. Thermal management is important in most electronic devices. Most of these devices work under varying temperatures.

Most PCB manufacturers use FR4 as the base of their circuit board. It is a highly-preferred material because of its great physical properties. FR4 conductivity describes how heat transfers through it.  FR4 is a versatile material used for several applications. It is a strong material that prevents the spread of fire.

This material is the insulating backbone of a circuit board. It forms the base upon which the circuit is built. Manufacturers use adhesive or heat to laminate FR4 with one or more layers of copper.

Properties of FR4

 

FR4 is a great material that improves thermal management in PCBs. This material has got some unique properties.

Flame retardant

This is the most noticeable property of FR4. Flame retardant is the ability of a material to delay or prevent fire. Flame retardant materials are adaptable and versatile. This material produces great results when used for PCB manufacturing.

Low moisture absorption

FR4 features low moisture absorption. This means that this material won’t absorb water when immersed in water. FR4 has 0.10% of moisture absorption. This is very low.

Good electrical properties

To ensure impedance control, the electrical characteristics of a PCB material is important. Material with great electrical properties ensures they keep electrical charge in a given volume.

Thermal conductivity

FR4 thermal conductivity describes the way heat moves from hot to cold areas in a circuit. FR4 material is a good conductor of heat. It allows the transfer of heat around the circuit board.

Radiation resistant

FR4 is a great material for PCBs used for telecommunication. This material has the ability to resist radiation and thermal shock. FR4 PCB is ideal for applications that are frequently exposed to a high rate of radiation.

Glass transition temperature (Tg)

The Tg of a thermosetting polymer is associated with its CTE. The CTE increases when the temperature of the material is beyond Tg. Therefore, a PCB should operate in an environment where the temperature is lower than TG. When the temperature is more than Tg, the material will become more pliable.

What Factors Affect PCB Thermal Conductivity?

PCB thermal conductivity describes the ability of a PCB to transfer and conduct heat. It refers to how PCBs can transfer heat around its component. W/m/K represents the value of thermal conductivity. Thermal conductivity is a core aspect of PCB design. It helps engineers to determine how a circuit board could conduct heat.

PCB thermal conductivity is a parameter that needs special attention among manufacturers. However, there are factors that influence PCB thermal conductivity.

Thermal vias

To achieve effective PCB thermal conductivity, thermal vias play an important role. Thermal vias help to discharge heat off a component. These vias are holes placed on a circuit board. They provide more rooms for the heat to escape. Therefore, more thermal vias in a circuit board enhance thermal conductivity.

Trace geometries

If there are copper traces in a circuit board, you can achieve thermal conductivity. If these traces run along one end to another end, there will be high thermal conductivity. However, if the traces discontinue, the thermal conductivity decreases.

Internal layers

Internal layers can influence heat dissipation. More inner layers of copper can decrease the thermal conductivity of a circuit.

A PCB features electronic components, insulators, and conductive materials. Each of the materials on a circuit board features different thermal conductance.

Thermal Resistance in PCB

Heat management plays a crucial role in keeping components cool during operation. Arguably, FR4 is the commonest substrate material. However, it features a low thermal conductivity. This causes heat to remain close to hot components. Overheating in electronic devices can cause damage. Therefore, the need for a thermal management strategy.  This will help dissipate heat from important components.

Thermal resistance in printed circuit boards is very important. Heat sinks and FR4 are a crucial part of thermal management. However, it is important to design your board to ensure thermal resistance. PCB manufacturers must use the right materials to achieve this.

It is crucial to understand what thermal resistance is. FR4 thermal resistance depends on its thermal conductivity. FR4 conductivity enables the transfer of heat from a warmer area to a cooler area at a quicker rate. Hence, the PCB will have a lower thermal resistance.

The various components and parts on a circuit board contribute to thermal conductivity. These components all feature different thermal conductivity. Hence, they conduct heat at different levels. To determine a PCB thermal resistance, consider the thermal resistance in each component. Therefore, FR4 thermal resistance and low thermal resistance copper determine PCB thermal conductivity.

The arrangements of copper elements in a PCB determine the PCB thermal resistance. You can measure the thermal conductivity of a PCB to determine thermal resistance.

Thermal Considerations for Designing a GaN Power Stage (Rev. B)

https://www.ti.com/lit/an/snoaa14b/snoaa14b.pdf?ts=1651067865278

How to Develop Thermal Management Strategy

The right placement of thermal vias can enhance heat transfer. If a PCB features more active components, you can place these components away from the board’s edge. This will help to prevent hot spots in the circuit board.

You can also use materials featuring high thermal conductivity to reduce thermal resistance in your board. A thermal simulation tool is also very helpful. It can determine an ideal thermal strategy for your circuit board. The copper in plane layers features high thermal conductivity. Hence, it offers a low resistance path for the transfer of heat from hot components.

Ensure you use inner ground/power plane layers when designing a high-frequency PCB. Also, you can dissipate heat away from the surface by putting copper pads below hot electronic components. These pads often have vias that link to an inner ground plane. Hence, this offers image protection for these components.

Another way to minimize thermal resistance in PCBs is by using heavier copper. Use heavier copper if a circuit board will operate at a higher current. FR4 material features low thermal conductivity. Therefore, this material features high thermal resistance. Metal core boards are a better option for thermal management. These boards allow heat transfer from a component at a faster rate.

FR4 thermal conductivity is 1.0 W/(m-K). Ceramic materials feature thermal conductivities within the range of 20 to 300 W/(m-K). When designing your layer stackup, consider thermal management in your PCB.

 

Limitations of FR4 Material in PCB

Unarguably, FR4 is a common material used in PCB manufacturing. The low cost and electrical insulation of this material make it a perfect choice. However, FR4 thermal conductivity is high. This single fact makes it not ideal for high-speed applications. The limitations of FR4 are below;

Controlled impedance

FR4 features no uniform Dk value like other high-speed board materials. As the frequency of FR4 increases, the dielectric constant changes. Dk tolerances for FR4 are about 10%. Dielectric constant variations in FR4 pose a great threat while regulating impedance values. Therefore, FR4 isn’t an ideal choice for boards with controlled impedance.

Temperature stability

FR4 isn’t an ideal choice for electronic devices that work under high temperatures. Furthermore, FR4 doesn’t support soldering free of lead. This is because the lead-free PCB assembly’s reflow temperature can be about 250 °C. This value is more than the glass transition temperature of most FR4 versions.

Insulating stability

When FR4 is exposed to high power or heat, it can deteriorate. Although this material is a good insulator, it has got its limits. If subjected to high heat, it will start conducting electricity.

Signal losses

This is a crucial aspect in circuit board design, especially in high-end applications. FR4 material features a high dissipation factor (Df). The Df is greater than that of high frequency materials. FR4 features a DF of about 0,020 while other high-frequency materials feature a Df of about 0.004. Lower Df results in lower signal loss. Another limitation is that the FR4 dissipation factor increases as signal frequency increases. Therefore, these circuit boards suffer higher signal losses.

Factors to Consider When Choosing FR4

FR4 is a stable material with reliable insulation. The dielectric characteristic of this material is usable. There is no doubt that FR4 plays a crucial role in PCBs. It is now common to use mineral fillers to replace a portion of the resin volume. The standard Tg value for FR4 is 130 °.  You must consider some important factors when choosing FR4 material.

Thickness

You need to specify the thickness of the FR4 material you are using. FR4 thicknesses vary based on the project’s requirements. Although the thickness of a board may not be a crucial factor, it is an essential feature. The thickness of your FR4 material influences the functionality of your board. If space is important, a thinner FR4 is a better option.

Cost

This is an important factor you need to consider when choosing an FR4 material. FR4 is widely used in PCB manufacturing due to its low cost. However, high-frequency materials are higher in price. FR4 is a budget-friendly material for PCB manufacturing.

Temperature management

You have to consider this factor when choosing FR4 material. When thermal management is the major goal of your design, FR4 isn’t the right choice. High-frequency laminates are an ideal option for thermal management. These laminates have a thermal coefficient of Dk of about 40 parts per million per °C.

Operational environment

This factor is important when choosing FR4 for your circuit. The operational environment includes environmental conditions like temperature and humidity. High-frequency laminates offer more heat and moisture resistance than FR4. You must consider if a PCB will operate under harsh conditions.

How to Calculate PCB Thermal Conductivity

Follow these instructions to calculate thermal conductivity.

• Determine the board thickness and the copper traces’ thickness on the board. Check the schematics of the PCB manufacturer to determine these variables. Make the board thickness variable Z and the copper traces’ thickness variable ZCu.
• Use the formula Kp=0.8+350 (ZCu/Z). Kp stands for the thermal conductivity parallel to the board’s plane. This formula features conversion factors that generate thermal conductivity. For instance, let’s assume Z=10 centimeters and ZCu=14 micrometers.

Kp = 0.8 + 350 (ZCu/Z) = 0.8 + 350 (14/100,000) = 0.8 + 350 (0.0014) = 1.29 W/mK.

Note: Both the Z variable and ZCu variable must have the same units. That is why the 10 centimeters were converted into 100,000 micrometers.

• Use the formula Kn= 1/[1.69 (1 - ZCu/Z)) + 0.0026 (ZCu/Z)] to Calculate the thermal conductivity perpendicular to the board’s plane. Kn is the thermal conductivity perpendicular to the board’s plane.

Using the examples above;

Kn = 1/[1.69 (1 — 0.0014)) + 0.0026 (0.0014)] = 1/[1.69 (0.9986) + 0.00000364] = 1/1.687= 0.592 W/mK.

Conclusion

FR4 is a common material used for PCB manufacturing. PCBs feature this material because of the great properties it poses. When thermal management is a great concern, metal or ceramics is a perfect substrate for PCBs. PCB thermal conductivity is a concern for manufacturers. Hence, there is an increasing need for thermally conductive materials in PCB manufacturing.

Thermal Considerations for Designing a GaN Power Stage (Rev. B)

https://www.ti.com/lit/an/snoaa14b/snoaa14b.pdf?ts=1651067865278

 1 Introduction

GaN FETs have enabled high-frequency power converter designs that are much higher in power density, smaller in size, and are light-weight due to superior switching characteristics and lack of reverse recovery losses. To get full benefit of GaN’s fast switching speeds, the power loop inductance needs to be minimized. This necessitates careful PCB layout as well as very low inductance package for GaN FETs. TI’s LMG341XRxxx family uses 8-mm × 8-mm low inductance bottom side cooled QFN package for switching speeds of greater than 100 V/ns. A good thermal design is important for power electronic converters. An ideal heat transfer should provide good thermal conductivity with minimum thermal resistance in the heat flow path. Figure 1-1 shows a typical equivalent thermal circuit, which includes the thermal resistance of junction to case of GaN FET, PCB, thermal interface material (TIM), and heat sink. The junction temperature of GaN FETs is a function of power losses and total thermal resistance from junction to air. The junction temperature can be estimated as Equation 1.

 

The top path resistance, depicted by dotted arrows in Figure 1-1, is minimal compared to the bottom path resistance in forced cooled applications. In a typical bottom-cooled configuration where thermal vias, finned heat sink, and sufficient air flow are used, less than 10% of the dissipated heat goes through the top path. 

2 Thermal Considerations

2.1 Package Thermal Resistance

TI’s LMG341XRxxx GaN power stages are in low inductance QFN packages to avoid high inductance of long leads and bond wires for fast switching speeds. The thermal pad placed on the bottom of the device is soldered down to the board and used to effectively spread the heat from the junction down to the PCB. The typical junction to case thermal resistance is 0.5°C/W.

2.2 PCB Stack

The heat from the junction is transferred from the thermal pad to the top layer of the PCB, and then to the bottom layer of the PCB through a number of thermal vias. The thermal resistance of the PCB is a function of the board thickness, copper thickness of layers, orientation, and number of thermal vias.

2.2.1 Copper Thickness of Layers

The top copper layer acts as a heat spreader. As the copper layer area increases, the effective thermal resistance in the vertical direction decreases. The heat spreading reaches saturation beyond a certain point, which is determined by the copper thickness. Therefore, it is beneficial to have large and thick top copper layer that is larger than the thermal pad area. An example heat spreader on top copper layer (shown in red) from LMG3410R050-HB-EVM board is shown in Figure 2-1. The internal copper layers spread out the heat flux and increase the heat conduction area. The bottom copper layer makes contact with TIM. It is important that the bottom layer Cu area covers an area of the thermal plane placed on the top Cu layer, and has sufficient Cu thickness for heat spreading. For these reasons, TI recommends that the engineer use at least 2-oz copper in each layer. It is also important to remove solder mask of this heat spreading plane to reduce thermal resistance.

2.2.2 Board Thickness

The board thickness is determined by the number and thickness of layers, electrical routing, and the requirements for mechanical strength, and has a direct impact on the total thermal resistance from the GaN package to the TIM surface. As the board thickness increase, the thermal resistance increases proportionally.

To minimize the power loop inductance, a 4-layer board is recommended such that power loop can be returned from the adjacent layer. An example board layer stack is shown in Figure 2-2. Typically, the dielectric 2 thickness is changed to get thicker or thinner boards. The minimum thickness is determined by the signal isolation requirement of adjacent layers considering the signal integrity of critical signals and added parasitic capacitance to the switch node. A minimum of 32-mils board thickness with 2-oz copper is recommended for low power levels less than 1-kW, where dielectric 2 thickness is 10.6-mils.

 

For higher power levels >1-kW, TI recommends a minimum of 47-mils thickness to prevent board warpage and to accommodate different heat sink mounting methods. In this case, the dielectric 2 thickness is increased to 25.8-mils.

2.2.3 Number of Thermal Vias

FR-4 material is a poor thermal conductor. Its conductivity can be improved using plated thermal vias. The thermal vias, typically 8-12 mils in diameter, should be placed right under the thermal pad of the GaN package. The thermal vias placed on the LMG3410R050-HB-EVM are shown in Figure 2-1. There are 71 vias for each GaN with a hole size of 8-mils. All layers including the internal layers have thermal planes for better heat spreading and transfer. To improve the power loop inductance, the entire plane under the thermal pad of the device should not be filled with thermal vias. The reason is that the power loop is returned on the mid-layer 1 and underneath the devices to minimize the power loop inductance, as discussed in the application note High Voltage Half Bridge Design Guide for LMG3410 Smart GaN FET (SNOA946).

2.2.4 PCB Thermal Resistance

The total thermal resistance of the PCB can be approximated to the equivalent thermal resistance of the thermal vias that are conducting the heat in parallel. The engineer can use Equation 3 to calculate the thermal resistance of each via.

The typical via is plated with 25-µm copper. Using Equation 3 and Equation 4, thermal resistance of a single thermal via in LMG3410R050 HB-EVM board is calculated as 166°C/W, which makes the total PCB thermal resistance as 2.33°C/W. Similarly, the LMG3410R070 HB-EVM board is using 39 vias with a 12-mils diameter and a board thickness of 32-mils, which makes the total board thermal resistance 2°C/W. This estimation is based on filling the vias with conductive epoxy. For better thermal performance, a costly alternative Cu via filling can be considered. 

2.3 Thermal Interface Material (TIM)

A thermal interface material (TIM) is used to thermally couple and electrically insulate the heat sink from the bottom copper layer of the PCB. A certain thickness is required to provide gap filling to make a good thermal interface. Commonly used TIM are shown in Table 2-1 and include:

• Adhesive: This type of TIM does not need constant pressure however they usually have low thermal conductivity due to the addition of adhesives into the material.

• Gap pad: Typically has the best thermal conductivity but have higher thermal resistance at the contact interfaces (PCB to TIM and heat sink to TIM). Gap pads require a mounting mechanism that keeps constant pressure between the heat sink and the PCB.

• Phase change material: This TIM’s thermal conductivity lies between adhesive and gap pad types, but has the capability to wet the contact interface thus providing the most consistent performance. It also needs the heat sink to be mounted with pressure.

The gap filling material shows the highest thermal conductivity but at a larger thickness. Under pressure, this material can compress up to 50%, which significantly improves the thermal resistance. However, large pressure of >100 psi can cause board warpage and result in mechanical failure of the PCB. Also unequal pressure on the bottom copper layer can lead to uneven thermal resistance and temperature of GaN FETs. On the other hand, phase changing material does not require large compression force as its thermal resistance does not change significantly with compression force.

Adhesive TIM, on the other hand, shows a larger thermal resistance than the other two types of materials. However, it is one of the few alternatives when using smaller heat sink as will be depicted in Section 2.4 while providing an easier assembly process.

A practical method to compare and select TIM is to measure the thermal resistance from junction to the surface of the TIM, shown as Rθj-s in Figure 1-1. Our lab measurements are summarized in Table 2-1. Cost should also be a consideration in the selection process.

 For some applications, where radiated EMI can be suppressed with enclosed metal casing, non-insulating TIMs such as thermal grease or direct soldering of heat sink may be a viable option for reducing the thermal resistance significantly. Direct soldering of heat sink down to the PCB requires electro-plating of the Al heat sink baseplate with either TIN-lead or silver. This is a custom design approach and may be more costly than using thermal grease.

2.4 Heat Sink

Heat sink is one of the most important element of thermal management, and it impacts the overall power density of the system. For low power applications less than 1-kW, the heat sink size is typically less than 30 mm × 30 mm. It is difficult to find mounting mechanism for these smaller heat sinks, so adhesive TIM are typically used.

At higher power levels > 1-kW, the performance of thermal management becomes more important. For heat sinks equal to and larger than 30 mm × 30 mm, attached push-pin heat sink can be coupled with better thermal conductivity TIMs. For heat sinks larger than 35 mm × 35 mm, QSZ clips with anchor pins are preferred. The advantage of attached push-pin heat sink is that the compression force can be easily adjusted with spring and push-pin combinations. The applied force is not uniformly distributed, however, middle of the heat sink experiences the minimal pressure while the corners experiences the highest pressure where force is applied.

QSZ clips, on the other hand, have bars that run in the middle of the heat sinks to push down the heat sink base to the thermal interface underneath. This keeps a relatively constant pressure across the interface and provides a more consistent thermal interface than a corner-mounting mechanism. The applied pressure, however, can be too high to warp the PCB, which dictates the thickness of the daughter card PCB. The thicker the PCB is, the higher the thermal resistance becomes on the PCB stack. Therefore, TI recommends that the engineer use attached push-pin heat sinks for daughter card designs and QSZs clip with anchor pins in applications where GaN FETs are mounted on the main board. Table 2-2 summarizes the discussion above about heat sinks.

3 Design Example: Totem-Pole PFC Converter

Totem-pole (TP) power factor correction (PFC) is a common power topology for GaN-based converters in various industrial, telecom, and server application. Thermal management plays an important role in achieving the system efficiency and power density targets in these designs. Typical system specifications are summarized in Table 3-1. 

3.1 Thermal Optimization and Performance for <1.2-kW Designs

For these applications, smaller heat sinks mounted using adhesive type TIMs are typically sufficient. The LMG3410R070-HB-EVM board, shown in Figure 3-1, is designed using a 32-mils board with 39 of 12-mils diameter vias for heat transfer for high-side GaN FET and Bondply-100 as the TIM.

 With these board parameters, the measured junction to heat sink thermal resistance is about 8°C/W, which leaves about 5.5°C/W for the TIM itself under 400-LFM forced air cooling, as summarized in Table 3-2. To cover 1.2-kW at 100-kHz switching frequency, a 20-mm × 20-mm × 10-mm heat sink is chosen, which roughly gives a junction to ambient thermal resistance about 16.4°C/W per FET.

With the 20-mm × 20-mm × 10-mm heat sink, the expected power losses from LMG3410R070-HB-EVM board and estimated junction temperatures are plotted in Figure 3-2 and Figure 3-3. These curves provide information on what to expect from LMG3410R070-HB-EVM in a TP PFC application with application specifications given in Table 3-1. 

 

 

 3.2 Thermal Optimization and Performance for >1.2-kW Designs

The thermal management design for higher power applications requires a better TIM and larger heat sink. The LMG3410R050-HB-EVM, shown in Figure 3-4, uses Gr-45A gap filling pad TIM and a board thickness of 47-mils to avoid any board warpage. Gap pad is chosen over phase change TIM, as it has lower cost and similar thermal performance. To achieve board thermal resistance of approximately 2.3°C/W, via diameter is set to 8-mils with 71 thermal vias used. The TIM thermal resistance is approximately 3.2°C/W. With a 30-mm × 30-mm × 20-mm push-pin heat sink, the total thermal resistance from junction to air per FET is 9.2°C/W, as summarized in Table 3-4.

 

 

Based on the thermal stack of LMG3410R050-HB-EVM, as discussed in Table 3-3, the expected power losses and junction temperature of high-side GaN FET is shown in Figure 3-5 and Figure 3-6. These curves provide information on what to expect from LMG3410R050-HB-EVM in a TP PFC application.

 

 

 

 4 Summary

Thermal performance is as important as the electrical and magnetic component performances impacting the efficiency, reliability, and power density of power converters. This article briefly introduced the thermal stack and optimization of each component including PCB, thermal interface material, and heat sink. This guide particularly focused on a 1.2-kW half-bridge design using LMG3410R070 and a 2-kW design using LMG3410R050 on a totem-pole PFC example. This guide also discussed the expected half-bridge power losses and junction temperatures of GaN FETs in the designed EVMs, along with the required air cooling for different power levels.

AN-2020 Thermal Design By Insight, Not Hindsight

https://www.ti.com/lit/an/snva419c/snva419c.pdf?ts=1651151149838

1 Introduction

All electronics contain semiconductor devices, capacitors and other components that are vulnerable to thermally accelerated failure mechanisms. Thermal design becomes vital to improving the reliability of any design. Unfortunately, thermal design can be very difficult because of the mathematical analysis of fluid dynamics for complex geometries. Although this remains true for the foreseeable future, this application report covers the basics of thermal design for DC-DC converters using a simplified resistor model of heat transfer. Focus is on the thermal design for the semiconductor devices, but all of these techniques can be applied to other components. The resistor model is very useful for quickly estimating your design requirements, such as the PCB size and whether airflow is required. Finite element analysis software can then be used to analyze the design in more detail. The listed reference material is home to additional data and many useful thermal calculators, covering material that is beyond the scope of this document.

Our discussion of thermal design will begin with the definition of parameters used in data sheets such as θJA and θJC, and end with some rules of thumb for the thermal design of a DC-DC converter, including their derivation. An accompanying spreadsheet (see References) uses these derivations to quickly provide a ballpark figure for the thermal performance of your design.

2 Definitions

 There are two primary heat paths for a DC-DC converter represented above by their associated thermal resistances. The first path travels from the junction of the IC to the plastic molding at the top of the case (θJT) and then to the ambient air by convection/radiation (θTA). The second path is from the junction of the IC to an exposed pad (θJC). The exposed pad is then connected to the PCB, where the heat travels to the surface of the PCB and to the ambient air by convection/radiation (θCA).

There is one point of confusion that is common in defining θJC.

For DC-DC converters without an exposed pad, θJC is defined as the thermal impedance from the junction to the top of the case. This is in direct conflict with our previous definition of θJC, being the thermal impedance from the junction to the exposed pad. This confusion comes about because of the large number of packages that DC-DC converters have been shoved into over the years. As newer packages with exposed pads were released into the market it was decided that θJC should represent the lowest thermal impedance path from the junction of the IC to the outside world.

Now that we have cleared up the terminology, we can discuss the usefulness of various parameters.

Use the value of θJA given in the data sheet to compare different packages, and use it along with the IC power dissipation for a sanity check in your design. The high thermal resistance of the plastic packaging ensures that most of the heat travels from the exposed copper pad to the PCB, which usually has a much lower thermal resistance. A heat sink can be added to either the top of the package or directly beneath the exposed pad on the backside of the PCB. Again, because of the high thermal resistance of plastic, a heat sink will be more effective when connected to an exposed metal pad, either directly or, through thermal vias.

Since most of the heat transfer is through the exposed pad to the PCB it becomes immediately apparent that the value of θJA is highly PCB dependant. In other words, the most critical value to determine in any design is thermal resistance of the PCB (θCA). Well what, exactly, is θCA and how is it calculated? θCA is the equivalent resistance of a thermal resistive lattice that centers on the IC and ends at the surfaces of the board. It is the final of your freshman year, Circuits 101 class, all over again. Figure 3 below shows the details.

 

 There are new terms to add to our ever growing lexicon of θ's. θCu is the thermal resistance of our board's copper to lateral heat transfer. θFR4 is the thermal resistance between the copper planes provided by the vertical resistance of FR-4 laminate. θVIA is the thermal resistance of the thermal vias placed directly underneath the exposed pad. θSA is the thermal resistance from the surface of the PCB to the ambient air. It is a combination of convective and radiative heat transfer. If we break the board into 1 cm squares, the typical values for these resistances are listed below.        

 The amount of variability in PCB designs is significant. You can see that the thermal resistance depends on board size, airflow, PCB thickness and many other parameters. For this reason, a series of JEDEC standards (JESD51-1 to JESD51-11) were developed, which specify the PCB size and layout for testing θJA for different types of packages. DC-DC converters that are tested to these standards can be directly compared to one another. Always check the data sheet to see what PCB parameters were used to measure θJA. Later on we will discuss some tips for designing your PCB, but the final design, and thus θJA, depends on the end user.

2.1 Example: Calculating Your Required θJA

3 Rules of Thumb 

 

3.1 Rule 1: Board Size 

 

 

 3.2 Rule 2: Thermal VIAS

 

 3.3 Rule 3: Copper Thickness

 

3.4 Rule 4: Avoid Breaks in the Thermal Path 

 

3.5 Rule 5: Heat Sink Placement is Just as Important as Selection 

Heat sink selection must include the thermal resistance from the IC junction to the attachment point of the heat sink to be effective. For best performance a heat sink should be attached to the lowest impedance path to the IC junction.

3.5.1 Example: Heat Sink Performance for Different Locations

To understand rule 5 we will take a look at heat sink performance at two locations. If we again look at the TO-PMOD7, the package has a very low θJC = 1.35 °C / W. The thermal resistance to the top of the package is considerably higher because of the plastic interface. θJT can range from 50 to 200 °C / W for packages with a plastic top. A heat sink on top of the package is connected in series with the high thermal impedance of the plastic making the heat sink less effective. A heat sink on the bottom of the board is connected in series with the low thermal impedance of the exposed pad and the relatively low thermal impedance of the vias making the heat sink more effective. To determine the effectiveness of a heat sink at the two locations, let's compare the resistive models.

 Newer MOSFET packages are improving the thermal conductivity to the top of the package by having an exposed metal tab on the top. This style of package gives the user several heat sinking options.

 3.6 Rule 6: Multiple Heat Sources: Superposition Almost Works

If there are multiple heat sources in your design, how do you accommodate that? Well the good news is that superposition almost works. Almost? We are modeling the thermal environment as a resistive network with current sources (thermal resistances and power dissipation); therefore, we can use the superposition theorem, however, because some of those resistances have non-linear dependencies on temperature there will be some error in our final result.

To apply superposition to a system with multiple heat sources, solve for one heat source at a time, while leaving the others as open circuits in your system. Calculate the temperature rise at the locations of all the heat sources due to the other heat sources. The results can then be added together to get an estimate of the total temperature rise at the different locations.

4 Summary

Determining thermal performance is vital to any design, and should be considered before it becomes a problem. We have seen how some rules of thumb, derived through insight into thermodynamic principles, can be used at the beginning of the design process to help avoid drastic redesigns. Although this will not replace the accuracy of modern finite element analysis software, it will give you a starting point for the thermal design of your system.

5 Derivation of Rule 1 (Thermal Resistance from the Surface of the PCB to Ambient Air) 

 

 

 

 6 References

AN-1520 A Guide to Board Layout for Best Thermal Resistance for Exposed Packages (SNVA183)

Cooling Zone Design Corner http://www.coolingzone.com/design_corner.php " Forced

Convection Heat Sink Thermal Resistance." Novel Concepts, Inc. 2012. http://www.novelconceptsinc.com/calculators-forced-convection-heat-sink-thermal-resistance.cgi

Kollman, Robert, Constructing Your Power Supply - Layout Considerations. www.ti.com/lit/ml/slup230/slup230.pdf

 

 

 

Three-phase, 1.25-kW, 200-VAC small form factor GaN inverter reference design (Rev. A)

https://www.ti.com/lit/ug/tiducm9a/tiducm9a.pdf?ts=1651076503916