What is thermal resistance? How can the thermal resistance of a PCB be reduced?
Editorial Team - PCB Directory
Sep 5, 2021
Thermal Resistance is a property of a printed circuit board that specifies its resistance to heat dispersion. A low thermal resistance in a PCB makes the dispersion of heat easier. This is basically the inverse of thermal conductivity. The thermal resistance of a PCB can be calculated by evaluating all the layers of the board and the heat parameters of the material.
To find the total thermal resistance for your board, you must include all layers of the board and the associated heat parameters for the type of material through which heat will flow.
[Formula]
R_\theta = absolute thermal resistance (K/W) across the thickness of the sample
\Delta x = thickness (m) of the sample (measured on a path parallel to the heat flow)
k = thermal conductivity (W/(K·m)) of the sample
A = cross-sectional area (m2) perpendicular to the path of heat flow
In addition to the thermal resistance of the board. The Thermal resistance of Vias must also be calculated. This usually depends on the copper trance, the laminate and the substrate and their respective thermal resistivities.
How can you reduce the Thermal Resistance of a PCB?
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