Liquid Metal for Semiconductors

All state-of-the-art semiconductors use solid metal interconnects to electrically connect to other circuit elements. Thermo-mechanical stress degrades solid metal interconnects and is the main cause of failure in high-power semiconductors. LIME replaces these interconnects with liquid metals, which are inherently resistant to thermo-mechanical stress. Preliminary results show an 80x lifetime increase for power semiconductors. This lifetime extension can lead to miniaturization of power electronic systems, resulting in system cost and weight reductions of up to 90%. Power electronic systems are used ubiquitously across electricity generation and transmission, transport, propulsion, and motor drive industries.