Research progress on self-heating effects and thermal management strategies of GaN-based electronic devices

The rapid advancement of electronic technology has enhanced the integration and performance of electronic devices, yet it has also posted significant thermal management challenges, especially for high- power GaN-based electronic devices. These devices exhibit a noticeable self-heating effect during operation due to Joule heat generation. Consequently, heat dissipation has emerged as a critical bottleneck hindering their advancement. This article provides a comprehensive review of thermal transfer methods and the self-heating effect for electronic devices. It introduces several advanced external thermal management technologies for electronic devices, such as heat pipe cooling, microchannel cooling, jet impact cooling, spray cooling, and thermoelectric cooling. These methods have proven effective in addressing thermal management challenges arising from the high integration and power density of electronic devices by optimizing heat transfer pathways and improving heat exchange efficiency. Furthermore, the article also explores the impact of interface materials and bonding techniques within electronic devices on the self-heating effect and emphasizes that these factors must be comprehensively considered during the design process to optimize the heat dissipation solution. This ensures that electronic devices operate efficiently in a stable temperature environment, thereby improving the overall performance and reliability of the system.