Honeywell enhances thermal management for gamers
Honeywell's PTM series of thermal interface materials (TIM) has been selected as the thermal management solution for a leading gaming platform.
The material is being used to manage the tremendous heat generated by the semiconductor in the gaming console, helping ensure performance and reliability.
The latest advanced capabilities of the newest gaming platforms result in elevated chip temperatures which can degrade the user experience by slowing processor performance, trigger system shutdowns, and in severe conditions, cause permanent hardware damage and data loss.
"Both hardcore and casual game players expect reliable performance from their advanced consoles in order to have a satisfying and entertaining experience," says David Diggs, vice president and general manager for Honeywell Electronic Materials. "Because of this, reliable thermal management is essential to ensure that the system functions at its peak level and performs consistently year-in and year-out."
New gaming devices use an Accelerated Processing Unit (APU), a sophisticated system-on-chip that integrates the latest multi-core processors with extremely fast graphic accelerators and dedicated memory modules. However, this design produces heat which must be managed to sustain optimal performance through the service life of the gaming console.
Honeywell specialises in developing thermal management solutions that transfer and dissipate heat from advanced semiconductor devices. The company's 6PTM series of thermal management materials enables high processing performance under demanding conditions.
It is based on a sophisticated phase-change chemistry that was developed specifically for high-performing semiconductor devices. Honeywell's TIM technology transfers thermal energy from the APU to the heat sink and fan module. This critical bridge keeps the APU cool, while allowing the heat sink module to perform optimally.
Honeywell's proprietary formulation provides long lasting chemical and mechanical stability through accelerated aging tests like extended baking at 150°C, thermal cycling from -55°C to +125°C, and the "Highly Accelerated Stress Test" (HAST). This stability enables consistently high thermal performance long after alternate thermal interface materials break down or dry out.
Honeywell Electronic Materials, part of Honeywell Performance Materials & Technologies, supplies microelectronic polymers, electronic chemicals, and other advanced materials along with an extensive set of product offerings under its metals business segment, including physical vapour deposition (PVD) targets and coil sets, precious metal thermocouples, and low alpha emissivity plating anodes and advanced heat spreader materials used during back-end packaging processes for thermal management and electrical interconnect.
