Testing TIM Coverage

Designing Heatsinks and Thermal Solutions for Xilinx Devices (XAPP1377)

Document ID
XAPP1377
Release Date
2022-06-06
Revision
1.0 English

As mentioned in the TIM Selection, poor TIM coverage or the formation of voids can seriously compromise the thermal integrity of the system. The target should be greater than 95% coverage to ensure proper heat conduction from the device without causing hot spots or other undesirable effects. The TIM coverage should periodically be verified after assembly to ensure application methods adequately meet this coverage. Additional qualification testing after several thermal cycles is also recommended to help ensure the longevity of the TIM performance.