P4 and Arctic Silver question

[bill1971]

i've noticed that there is a small hole? in the corner of this 2.0A P4. Is it really a hole, and if so, I'm assuming that the Arctic silver
shouldn't cover it?
I hadn't noticed this before, but this is only the second P4 system
that I am building.
Thanks for the input.

- Bill

[sKiT]

You want to apply AS only to the small area that will make contact with the heatsink(actaul die itself)

[bill1971]

Thanks,sKiT -
The die covers about 90-95% of the chip board, all of which would come into contact with heatsink ; and that hole is located
on the die. So I'm assuming that I wouldn't want to cover this
hole, or get AS into the hole. . .

- Bill

[PartsMan]

Originally posted by bill1971
Thanks,sKiT -
The die covers about 90-95% of the chip board, all of which would come into contact with heatsink ; and that hole is located
on the die. So I'm assuming that I wouldn't want to cover this
hole, or get AS into the hole. . .

- Bill

Can you post a picture ?? .....
They say it's worth a thousand words you know .... could save on the number of posts too Yours and ours !!!

[AuraEdge]

P4's have thermal spreaders, so the die isnt exposed on the P4. It serves two purposes; it protects the die of the P4 from chipping and cracking, and secondly, acts as a sort of pre-heatsink heatsink, spreading the heat out to a broader surface before it comes in contact with the heatsink. The hole on the thermal spreader is for expansion purposes. The Thermal spreader gets quite hot when in use, and when things get hot, they expand. This hole is there to prevent the heat spreader from cracking from thermal expansion or contraction (thermal stress).

As to whether to cover it. I would say no, but there shouldnt be anything under it that you can short out if you do. I think it would pretty pointless though.

[bill1971]

That's the info I'm looking for, Aura - thanks, guys, for the quick
response ; now I can proceed more confidently with this
build. . .

- Bill