Thermal pad (computing)
Encyclopedia
In computing
and electronics
, thermal pads are a pre-formed square or rectangle of solid material (often paraffin based) commonly found on the underside of heatsinks to aid the conduction of heat away from the component being cooled (such as a CPU
or another chip
) and into the heatsink (usually made from aluminium
or copper
).
As an alternative to thermal grease
(sometimes called thermal transfer material), AMD and Intel have included thermal pads on the bottom of heatsinks shipped with some of their processors, as they are cleaner and generally easier to install. However, thermal pads rarely can compete with the thermal dissipation capabilities of heatsinks that use thermal grease.
Computing
Computing is usually defined as the activity of using and improving computer hardware and software. It is the computer-specific part of information technology...
and electronics
Electronics
Electronics is the branch of science, engineering and technology that deals with electrical circuits involving active electrical components such as vacuum tubes, transistors, diodes and integrated circuits, and associated passive interconnection technologies...
, thermal pads are a pre-formed square or rectangle of solid material (often paraffin based) commonly found on the underside of heatsinks to aid the conduction of heat away from the component being cooled (such as a CPU
Central processing unit
The central processing unit is the portion of a computer system that carries out the instructions of a computer program, to perform the basic arithmetical, logical, and input/output operations of the system. The CPU plays a role somewhat analogous to the brain in the computer. The term has been in...
or another chip
Integrated circuit
An integrated circuit or monolithic integrated circuit is an electronic circuit manufactured by the patterned diffusion of trace elements into the surface of a thin substrate of semiconductor material...
) and into the heatsink (usually made from aluminium
Aluminium
Aluminium or aluminum is a silvery white member of the boron group of chemical elements. It has the symbol Al, and its atomic number is 13. It is not soluble in water under normal circumstances....
or copper
Copper
Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu and atomic number 29. It is a ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. Pure copper is soft and malleable; an exposed surface has a reddish-orange tarnish...
).
As an alternative to thermal grease
Thermal grease
Thermal grease is a viscous fluid substance, originally with properties akin to grease, which increases the thermal conductivity of a thermal interface by filling...
(sometimes called thermal transfer material), AMD and Intel have included thermal pads on the bottom of heatsinks shipped with some of their processors, as they are cleaner and generally easier to install. However, thermal pads rarely can compete with the thermal dissipation capabilities of heatsinks that use thermal grease.
External links
- AMD: Thermal Interface Material Comparison: Thermal Pads vs. Thermal Grease (pdf - accessed 25-feb-2011)