Record-Low Thermal Boundary Resistance between Diamond and GaN-on-SiC for Enabling Radiofrequency Device Cooling.

The implementation of 5G-and-beyond networks requires faster, high-performance, and power-efficient semiconductor devices, which are only possible with materials that can support higher frequencies. Gallium nitride (GaN) power amplifiers are essential for 5G-and-beyond technologies since they provide the desired combination of high frequency and high power. These applications along with terrestrial hub and backhaul communications at high power output can present severe heat removal challenges.

Experimental observation of localized interfacial phonon modes.

Interfaces impede heat flow in micro/nanostructured systems. Conventional theories for interfacial thermal transport were derived based on bulk phonon properties of the materials making up the interface without explicitly considering the atomistic interfacial details, which are found critical to correctly describing thermal boundary conductance. Recent theoretical studies predicted the existence of localized phonon modes at the interface which can play an important role in understanding interfacial thermal transport.

Steady-state methods for measuring in-plane thermal conductivity of thin films for heat spreading applications.

The development of high thermal conductivity thin film materials for the thermal management of electronics requires accurate and precise methods for characterizing heat spreading capability, namely, in-plane thermal conductivity. However, due to the complex nature of thin film thermal property measurements, resolving the in-plane thermal conductivity of high thermal conductivity anisotropic thin films with high accuracy is particularly challenging. Capable transient techniques exist; however, they usually measure thermal diffusivity and require heat capacity and density to deduce thermal conductivity.