It is believed that micro heat pipes are an effective way to cool electronic chips. Analytical and experimental techniques will be used to determine the basic physics governing the fluid and thermal behavior of these devices. Specifically, flow in microgrooves and thin-film interfacial effects must be analyzed. In conjunction with what is already known about thin-film evaporation, this will allow a theoretical model of the micro heat pipe to be developed. This model must, of course, be guided by experimental observations. By using wet etching techniques, triangular grooves can be etched directly into a silicon surface. Electrostatically bonding a clear piece of Pyrex closes the device and forms a micro heat pipe. Optical techniques, such as ellipsometry allow detailed measurements of the film flow inside the micro heat pipe. Gross thermal measurements will be used to determine the effectiveness of these devices. Currently, it is believed that micro heat pipes are an effective means of transferring heat on the small scales necessary for electronic chip cooling. If so, it can alleviate one of the largest impediments facing electronic chip miniaturization; namely dissipating the enormous heat fluxes associated with increasing chip densities. If this study demonstrates this, micro heat pipes could revolutionize electronics cooling technology.
