Performance Evaluation of Aluminum Heatsink for High Reliable CCGA Packages

Digital technology is trending in modern electronic applications. Due to its high reliability, space technology uses electronic packages like CCGA which are molded inside ceramic case hence named ceramic packages. Some of these packages have thermal path from junction (die) to top surface of the package. Thus, external thermal coupling is required to drain out excess of heat to maintain the temperature within allowable limits for safe operation of satellite. Since, these packages are high in cost and one-time programmable devices, cannot be used for R&D purpose; hence, equivalent thermal component which dissipates the way CCGA dissipates is employed to duplicate the model. Aluminum heat sink is used as a thermal coupler to drain out excess of heat. In this paper, effectiveness of heat sink is studied. Thermal analysis has been performed using CFD software by considering different heatsink configurations. Based on analysis results, the best heatsink design is selected and fabricated. Experiments are performed under different boundary conditions as per the analysis. Assembled unit is subjected to thermal testing, and the results are compared with that of thermal simulation, and they are well within the acceptable limit. Using these results, the same heat sink is implemented with actual CCGA to maintain junction temperature within allowable limit specified by the manufacturer.