CPC B05C 1/02 (2013.01) [B05C 1/00 (2013.01); C23C 28/00 (2013.01); B05D 1/28 (2013.01); H05K 7/2039 (2013.01)] | 9 Claims |
1. A liquid metal thermal interface material application system comprising
a tapered liquid metal (LM) applicator presoaked with an LM thermal interface material (TIM), the tapered LM applicator including a mounting portion and an LM application region, the tapered LM applicator including a tapered geometry in which the LM application region is smaller than the mounting portion;
an applicator mount to retain the mounting portion of the tapered LM applicator; and
an actuator attached to the applicator mount, the actuator to:
compress the LM application region against a thermal surface;
swipe the LM application region across the thermal surface in a first direction deposit a first LM layer onto the thermal surface;
swipe the LM application region across the thermal surface in a second direction to deposit a second LM layer onto the first LM layer;
a measurement device to:
measure a first dispense weight of LM prior to the deposition of the LM first layer; and
measure a second dispense weight of LM subsequent to the deposition of the second layer of the LM;
wherein:
the actuator is further to swipe the LM application region across the thermal surface to deposit a third LM layer onto the second LM layer in response to a determination that an insufficient amount of LM TIM has been applied based on the first dispense weight and the second dispense weight;
the LM application region contacts only a portion of the thermal surface to reduce an adhesion between the LM application region and the thermal surface; and
the tapered LM applicator includes an open-cell foam applicator with an associated foam porosity configured to promote absorption and diffusion of the LM TIM into the open-cell foam applicator.
|