News Release from: GrafTech International
Edited by the Electronicstalk Editorial Team on 6 September 2004

Heat spreader keeps Sony's notebook cool

The compact size and light weight of the Sony VAIO VGN-X505 PC are helped by the use of an innovative thermal management solution.

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Sony recently launched the Sony VAIO VGN-X505 PC, one of the world's smallest notebook computers, measuring only 9.7mm thick at the front, 21mm in the back and weighing 768g. The X505 was designed and developed with a new and unique thermal management solution. To keep it small and lightweight and have the necessary graphics processor and microprocessor, the VAIO notebook was designed without typical cooling devices, such as fans, traditional heatsinks and heat pipes.

Instead, the notebook incorporates GrafTech International's new eGraf SpreaderShield solution.

SpreaderShield is a natural graphite thermal management solution that distributes heat evenly in two dimensions, eliminating "hot spots", shielding components from heat sources and improving overall product performance.

"SpreaderShield components are custom designed and engineered natural graphite-based thermal solutions that utilise the anisotropic properties of graphite", said Dr Julian Norley, PhD, DIC ARSM, Director of Technology Electronic Thermal Management of GrafTech.

"For this product, SpreaderShield components are used simultaneously between chips and the case, and to convey the heat to the case over an area significantly larger than the chip 'footprint'".

"This design eliminated three conventional thermal components including a thermal interface, a heatsink and a fan".

For cooling the graphics processor, SpreaderShield was adhesively attached to the lower case of the VAIO notebook.

As a result, the heat is spread from the processor into the VAIO notebook advanced carbon fibre or carbon nickel case.

In addition to the graphics processor, this SpreaderShield component is also in contact with memory modules to ensure the maintenance of adequate thermal profiles.

A similar approach was used for cooling the Intel Pentium M (1GHz) microprocessor, with heat being spread from the CPU into the upper case above the keypad.

The result is a chip operating temperature of 60C compared with more than 77C without SpreaderShield.

GrafTech is the first company to offer heat spreaders manufactured from natural graphite materials.

These unique materials have an in-plane two-dimensional thermal conductivity that can be tailored up to 500W/mK (SpreaderShield 500) and a through thickness third dimension thermal conductivity in the 6-10W/mK range.

Traditional heat spreader materials, such as aluminium and copper, move heat equally well in all directions, but due to high contact resistance, they do not transfer heat to or from other components efficiently.

In addition, the weight of SpreaderShield materials is typically 30% percent lighter than aluminium and 80% lighter than copper components of the same dimensions.

SpreaderShield is offered in a range of thicknesses and can be combined with other materials such as metal and plastics for added design versatility.

SpreaderShield is covered by US patent 6,482,520 and has other applications pending.

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