A common limiting factor in the advancement of electronic systems is heat. The need to manage heat removal with a cost-effective solution is a significant driver in the design of many electronic devices. Thermal interfaces play a huge factor in a device’s operation both in performance and reliability. Thermal interface materials (also referenced as a “TIM”) are mostly thermally conductive, ceramic-filled systems with organic or silicone binders added to make them flowable for dispensing and processing. These materials can be used to accelerate heat dissipation and give the cost-effective method engineers need for flexibility to reduce the overall size of the package.

Nobody likes to get too hot, and if your high-tech electronics could talk, they’d say they feel the same way. Heat is their enemy. It reduces longevity and limits reliability, two non-negotiable properties in electronics. The lack of one or both can literally mean the difference between life and death in applications such as autonomous driving and aerospace controls.