Tyndall develops new material to extend life of electronics

Tyndall National Institute in UCC the development of a new nano-material that will dramatically reduce the operating temperature of silicon chip components and circuits, thereby enhancing the reliability and lifetime of electronics in products ranging from smart phones to automotive electronics. The announcement was made at the 2010 International Power Supply on Chip Workshop in Cork.

'This new nanotechnology-based, Thermal Interface Material (TIM), designed and fabricated at Tyndall by Dr Kafil M Razeeb and his team, in collaboration with Stokes Research Institute, University of Limerick, has at least 50 per cent better thermal performance than any material that currently exists on the market,' said Dr Cian Ó Mathúna, Head of Microsystems at Tyndall and founder of the International Power Supply on Chip Workshop.

Dr Ó Mathúna went on to say: 'Tyndall has leading research programmes in the development of novel miniaturised silicon devices that can be referred to as Power Supply on Chip. In recent years, the semiconductor industry has been addressing the global energy challenge by designing electronics to minimise energy use in ICT for consumer electronics, computing, telecommunications and instrumentation.'

The key global players, from both industry and academia, in power supply miniaturization will spend the next few days addressing technological advances and examine closely the challenges to achieve commercialisation. The even split of industry and academic participants is deliberately targeted at ensuring a robust and collaborative dialogue.
The workshop was opened today by Damien Callaghan, Investment Director of Intel Capital and Chairman of the Advisory Board of the recently announced €500m Investment Ireland Fund. He said: 'This conference is the only international form that deals with the challenges of functional integration of power delivery solutions on silicon. I am delighted to welcome all the companies and institutions to Ireland for what promises to be a dynamic exchange of the latest advances in this emerging space. Research and development over the past 10 years in Ireland through strategic funding from Enterprise Ireland, Science Foundation Ireland and the EU Framework programmes has seen institutes such as Tyndall National Institute, take the lead in developing the next generation of technologies needed to address the global energy challenge.'