ABSRACT
With the application of higher and higher power density IC in power driver circuits, an efficient modeling method of thermal design and heat dissipation is desired. In this paper, the printed circuit board (PCB) heat dissipation without heat-sink is discussed. Firstly, the thermal resistance of PCB thermal via array is analytically modeled. Then, the optimal via diameter and number are found in a limited area for minimum thermal resistance. Secondly, the radial temperature distribution is analyzed and a method of designing a proper copper pad for heat dissipation under the design power is posed. Finally, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations are developed to verify the posed model and method.