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Vishay Intertechnology, Inc.

Insulated Thermal Jumper ThermaWick® + Vishay

Vishay Intertechnology, Inc.
Vishay Intertechnology, Inc.
  • Vishay Intertechnology, Inc.
  • ICT and Industrial
  • Smart Factories and Robotics

"Doesn't conduct electricity, just releases heat!" Next-generation heat dissipation path

This device explains an insulated thermal jumper. Made of aluminum nitride, it simultaneously provides high thermal conductivity, insulation, and low capacitance, ensuring that only heat is released, making it suitable for a variety of applications, from RF to POWER SUPPLIES. This page explains the features, use cases, lineup, and selection methods (thermal conductivity/case size/connection pattern) with examples.

ThermaWick® features: insulation, high thermal conductivity, and low capacitance

ThermaWick® is a thermal jumper made of aluminum nitride (AlN) with a thermal conductivity of 170 W/mK, providing powerful heat dissipation. Simply adding one of these will lower the heat source temperature and extend its lifespan. It has the following four features:

  • It has high electrical insulation properties so it does not interfere with signal or POWER SUPPLIES lines.
  • Because of its low parasitic capacitance (0.07 to 0.26 pF), it can also be used for RF and high-speed SWITCHES applications.
  • It has passed reliability tests equivalent to AEC-Q200 and is compatible with automotive and industrial equipment.
  • The sizes range from 0603 to 2512, making it easy to add to existing layouts.

Figure 1. Structural diagram

Use Cases - Why ThermaWick® for This Application

ThermaWick® is ideal for applications that only transfer heat, not electricity. For example, it is effective for localized heat dissipation around microcontrollers and power devices, heat diffusion for LED DRIVER and FETs, and temperature stabilization for RF circuits. While conventional thermal vias have problems such as EMI noise, ThermaWick® can form an insulated heat path. Another major benefit is that it can be easily added later, reducing design change costs.

Table Comparison of heat control methods

 meritDisadvantages
Thermal viasEasily releases heatPotential difference, EMI risk, difficult to retrofit
Added copper foilLow wiring resistanceMajor layout changes required
Therma Wick®Insulating, low capacity, retrofittableMultiple units required for high power

Figure 2. Thermal diffusion of ThermaWick®

Lineup and main specifications

The lineup is as shown in the table below. These case sizes are available as standard, and thermal conductivity performance can also be selected according to size.
The operating temperature range is −65 to +150°C, and TERMINALS finishes are SnPb and Pb-free. Custom sizes and long-edge types are also available, allowing for flexible selection according to the application.

Figure 3. Appearance image

Table: Lineup comparison (Model number: THJP)

CASE SIZE060306120805120612252512
Thermal Resistance (°C/W)1441315415
Thermal Conductance (mW/°C)70259776525965
Capacitance (pF)0.070.260.150.070.260.07
Dielectric Withstanding Voltage kV AC, RMS (60 Hz)> 1.5> 1.5> 1.5> 1.5> 1.5> 1.5

Key points for selection and implementation: Select based on distance, area, and route

It is important to shorten the distance from the heat source to the heat dissipation destination and ensure sufficient copper area for the heat dissipation destination. If necessary, place multiple units in parallel to further increase thermal conductivity. This can be improved without adding copper foil or thermal vias, so it is also effective for modifying existing boards.
In addition, like regular chip components, it is reflow compatible, ensuring mass production.

Figure 4. Comparison of thermal camera images (temperature reduction of 6W resistor by approximately 36%)

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