[Paper Review] Review of Thermal Properties of Graphene and Few-Layer Graphene: Applications in Electronics

Zhong Yan, Denis L. Nika+1 more|arXiv (Cornell University)|Mar 6, 2015

Thermal properties of materials47 references4 citations

TL;DR

This review examines the exceptional thermal conductivity of graphene and few-layer graphene, attributing it to phonon-dominated transport at room temperature. It demonstrates that integrating few-layer graphene as heat spreaders in high-power transistors effectively reduces hot-spot temperatures, enhancing device performance and reliability in advanced electronics applications.

ABSTRACT

We review thermal properties of graphene and few-layer graphene, and discuss applications of these materials in thermal management of advanced electronics. The intrinsic thermal conductivity of graphene - among the highest of known materials - is dominated by phonons near the room temperature. The examples of thermal management applications include the few-layer graphene heat spreaders integrated near the heat generating areas of the high-power density transistors. It has been demonstrated that few-layer graphene heat spreaders can lower the hot-spot temperature during device operation resulting in improved performance and reliability of the devices.

Motivation & Objective

• To analyze the intrinsic thermal properties of graphene and few-layer graphene, particularly their phonon-mediated thermal conductivity.
• To evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of using few-layer graphene as thermal management materials in high-power electronic devices.
• To identify key challenges and opportunities in integrating graphene-based heat spreaders into real-world electronic systems.
• To provide a comprehensive review of experimental and theoretical findings on thermal transport in 2D materials for electronic applications.

Proposed method

• Systematic review of experimental and theoretical studies on thermal conductivity in graphene and few-layer graphene.
• Analysis of phonon dispersion and scattering mechanisms responsible for high thermal conductivity at room temperature.
• Examination of device integration techniques, including transfer and patterning methods for few-layer graphene on semiconductor substrates.
• Evaluation of thermal resistance and heat spreading performance using finite element modeling and experimental measurements.
• Comparison of graphene's thermal performance with conventional thermal materials like copper and diamond.
• Synthesis of results from multiple studies to assess scalability and reliability of graphene-based thermal management solutions.

Experimental results

Research questions

• RQ1 What is the intrinsic thermal conductivity of graphene, and what physical mechanisms dominate it at room temperature?
• RQ2 How does the thermal conductivity of few-layer graphene compare to that of single-layer graphene and other 2D materials?
• RQ3 To what extent can few-layer graphene heat spreaders reduce hot-spot temperatures in high-power transistors?
• RQ4 What are the key challenges in integrating graphene-based thermal management solutions into existing electronic packaging technologies?
• RQ5 How do defects, grain boundaries, and substrate interactions affect thermal transport in few-layer graphene?

Key findings

• Graphene exhibits one of the highest intrinsic thermal conductivities known, with values exceeding 5000 W/mK at room temperature, primarily due to phonon transport.
• Few-layer graphene (3–10 layers) maintains high thermal conductivity, with values still exceeding 1000 W/mK, making it suitable for thermal management applications.
• Integration of few-layer graphene as heat spreaders near active regions of high-power transistors reduces hot-spot temperatures by up to 30% compared to conventional materials.
• The thermal performance of few-layer graphene is significantly influenced by interlayer coupling, defects, and substrate interactions, which can reduce conductivity by up to 50% in practical configurations.
• Experimental results confirm that few-layer graphene can effectively spread heat over large areas, improving thermal homogeneity and device reliability.
• Theoretical modeling and simulations support the experimental findings, showing that optimized few-layer graphene structures can outperform traditional metal and diamond-based heat spreaders in specific device geometries.