Key Findings
Henkel has unveiled its LOCTITE ABLESTIK CDF900 series conductive die attach film, specifically designed to address the pressing thermal management challenges in high-power AI packages. This innovative product leverages proprietary thermal filler technology to achieve a significant leap in thermal conductivity, surpassing 8 W/m-K (Watts per meter-Kelvin). This capability ensures efficient heat dissipation from high-output components, enabling stable and sustained performance of AI processors. Being a film-based format, it eliminates common issues associated with competing liquid die attach adhesives, such as material bleed-out and uneven bond line thickness, thereby significantly contributing to improved production yield and product reliability.
Technical Details
In high-power AI packages, the efficiency of heat transfer from the chip to the heatsink is paramount for overall performance and reliability. The LOCTITE ABLESTIK CDF900 series achieves its high thermal conductivity—exceeding 8 W/m-K—through a unique technology that uniformly disperses highly conductive fillers, a feat difficult to accomplish with conventional die attach materials. This thermal conductivity is especially critical for AI GPUs, where localized hotspots can reach 500–1,000 W/cm². The film format allows for precise control over layer thickness and minimizes the formation of voids during the bonding process, which in turn reduces the thermal resistance between the die and the substrate. This is expected to suppress temperature rise within the chip, preventing long-term performance degradation. Furthermore, the film is suitable for automated dispensing processes, contributing to enhanced production efficiency.
Background & Context
The rapid advancements in AI computing, GPUs, CPUs, and high-performance processors are imposing increasingly stringent thermal challenges on packaging. Current packaging technologies utilize polymer composites and metal/liquid metal alloys as Thermal Interface Materials (TIMs), but new mechanical failure modes like liquid metal pump-out and viscosity limitations from fillers in polymers have emerged. Henkel’s new product directly addresses these challenges, offering a solution for managing the extreme heat fluxes generated by AI workloads. While filler-laden polymers were sufficient for packages dissipating around 100W, they are reaching their limits as advanced packages approach 1,000W. Against this backdrop, there is a strong industry-wide demand for higher-performance and more reliable TIMs.
Strategic Significance & Outlook
The introduction of the LOCTITE ABLESTIK CDF900 series marks a significant advancement in thermal management technology for AI chips. This product will contribute to reducing power consumption in AI data centers and facilitate the development of smaller, more powerful edge AI devices. In the future, as more highly integrated and efficient AI systems are required, the performance and reliability of thermally conductive materials will become even more critical. Continuous innovation from material manufacturers like Henkel will be foundational to the further scaling and widespread adoption of AI semiconductor technology. This film technology has the potential for broad adoption not only in AI but also in automotive, industrial electronics, high-performance computing, and any other sectors where thermal management is crucial.
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