A method of multi-node thermal network extraction for SPICE compatible simulations

Abstract

Due to the temperature sensitivity of many electronics and optoelectronics (OE) devices, thermal simulations are critical to predict thermal/electrical/optical operating points of such devices as part of product design. However, using conventional thermal modeling tools, it is difficult to simulate systems that involve thermal-electrical-optical coupled effects through feedback control loops as is normally done in OE modules. In this work, a method of multi-node thermal network extraction was developed, and the results can be used in a SPICE-like thermal-electrical-optical simulation to determine the final operating point for a given configuration. The solid thermal impedances between every two nodes were first obtained through a series of 3D simulations under adiabatic conditions, and the thermal impedances from each node to ambient were then determined by re-running the 3D simulation under operational conditions. To demonstrate the methods developed, a parallel OE module was used as an example to compare simulation and measurement results.