More details on how to optimize each cooling
element in the system-level thermal design can be found in published application reports
SNOAA14 and SNOA946. Some key points are summarized below:
- Use thick Cu (2 oz. recommended) for multilayer PCB to spread out heat and remove solder mask for bottom Cu heat spreading plane
- Design sufficient numbers of thermal vias to reduce RθPCB and fill vias by conductive epoxy or Cu if possible
- Use 1.6 mm or thinner PCB if applicable and apply proper pressure to prevent board warpage when clamping it to heatsink or coldplate
- Control thermal pad solder joint void percentage of less than 25% in total and 10% the largest
- Make careful tradeoffs between adding more Cu pad/thermal via coverage on PCB and the resultant extra parasitic capacitance and inductance
- Add cooling element on package top surface only as a supplement due to insufficient power dissipation from bottom side
- Select proper TIM and heatsink to meet overall RθJA thermal requirement