VC003 Vapor Chamber Heatsink Zipper Fin for Broadcom Qumran 2C Switch

Product Overview

The VC003 Vapor Chamber Heatsink is a high-performance dual-material thermal management solution engineered for Broadcom Qumran 2C switch chips deployed in data center Ethernet switches. By combining a large-area vapor chamber with a high-density zipper fin structure, this heatsink delivers uniform heat spreading and efficient cooling within a compact 202.3 × 157.2 × 26.3 mm footprint.

The vapor chamber utilizes phase-change technology to rapidly transport heat from the switch chip to the entire fin array, eliminating hot spots and ensuring the switch operates within a stable temperature range. The nickel-plated finish provides corrosion resistance, making it suitable for long-term deployment in data center environments.

Modern data center switches continue to push higher port densities and faster line rates, driving increasing thermal loads from switch silicon. The Broadcom Qumran 2C family exemplifies this trend — delivering massive packet processing throughput while generating concentrated heat under the BGA package.

Conventional solid-aluminum heatsinks struggle with this thermal profile. Aluminum's modest conductivity (~220 W/m·K for AL1100) creates temperature gradients from the chip center to the fin edges, while discrete heat pipe solutions leave coverage gaps between individual pipes where thermal resistance spikes.

VC003 addresses this challenge by replacing the solid base plate with a large-format planar vapor chamber (C1020 copper) that acts as a near-isothermal spreader. Heat from the Qumran 2C die is absorbed uniformly across the full 202.3 × 157.2 mm base area, then transferred through a high-density zipper-fin aluminum array to chassis airflow. The result is a flatter temperature profile across the chip and reduced peak junction temperatures.

Whether used in core switches, aggregation switches, or data center interconnect equipment, the VC003 offers a reliable and scalable thermal management solution for high-performance networking applications.

Technology Deep Dive: Why Vapor Chamber Outperforms Solid Base & Heat Pipes

Three-Way Thermal Comparison

How the Vapor Chamber Works Inside VC003

The vapor chamber embedded in VC003's base is a sealed, flattened cavity containing a working fluid and internal wick structure. Its operation follows a continuous two-phase cycle:

1. Evaporation zone — Directly beneath the Qumran 2C die contact area, the working fluid absorbs heat and evaporates into saturated vapor

2. Vapor spreading — Saturated vapor expands rapidly across the entire internal cavity, traveling to all regions of the chamber simultaneously (unlike heat pipes which transport along one axis only)

3. Condensation zone — Where the outer chamber walls contact the zipper-fin base, vapor condenses back to liquid, releasing its latent heat of vaporization into the fin array

4. Capillary return — The internal wick structure pumps condensed fluid back to the evaporation zone via capillary action — no moving parts, no pump

Vapor chambers of this class typically achieve effective thermal conductivity far exceeding solid copper in the planar direction — meaning the entire 202 × 157 mm base maintains a nearly uniform temperature regardless of where the chip's hottest regions are located.

Zipper-Fin Construction: Maximum Fin Density in Slim Profile

VC003's fin assembly uses the zipper-fin (also called welded-fin or bonded-fin) manufacturing process:

• Individual AL1100 aluminum fins are stamped with interlocking "zipper" teeth along the base edge

• Fins are sequentially folded and interlocked into a continuous, rigid array

• The fin-to-base joints are brazed or welded, creating metallurgical bonds with low thermal resistance

• Zipper-fin technology can achieve fin pitch as tight as 1.0–1.5 mm with high aspect ratios — density levels not achievable with extrusion or skiving

For a 26.3 mm total height, zipper-fin technology allows VC003 to pack significantly more fin surface area into the available Z-axis budget compared to extruded or machined alternatives. This directly translates to lower thermal resistance from fin base to ambient air under forced-convection conditions.

Material Choice: AL1100 Fins + C1020 VC Base

Target Application: Broadcom Qumran 2C Data Center Switches

What Is the Qumran 2C?

The Broadcom Qumran 2C (StrataDGS family) is a terabit-scale Ethernet switch silicon device powering data center leaf-spine fabrics, enterprise core networks, and cloud routing platforms. Under real-world traffic loads, these devices generate significant thermal loads with spatially non-uniform distribution across the package footprint — characteristic of large, high-performance switch SoCs.

Why Conventional Cooling Falls Short

Thermal Problem VC003 Solves

"Eliminate die-level hotspots under Broadcom Qumran 2C switch chips with a large-format vapor chamber."

Problem: Data center Ethernet switches equipped with Broadcom Qumran 2C generate concentrated, spatially uneven heat loads. Without effective spreading, the chip junction temperature:

• May exceed the manufacturer's specified maximum → automatic frequency throttling → throughput degradation

• Creates thermal gradients across the die → timing skew between SerDes lanes → increased bit error rate

• Accelerates electromigration and device aging → reduced MTBF → unplanned replacements in operational data centers

Solution: VC003's 202.3 × 157.2 mm copper vapor chamber acts as an ultra-efficient planar heat spreader, converting the concentrated point-source load from the Qumran 2C die into a distributed, low-flux thermal load across the entire zipper-fin array. Under typical data center switch airflow conditions, this architecture maintains stable junction temperatures across the device's full operating envelope. Actual thermal performance depends on system airflow, ambient conditions, and specific chip power configuration.

Technical Specifications

OEM & Customization Services

VC003 is offered as both a standard SKU and a customizable OEM platform for switch and router OEMs with unique requirements:

• Base-footprint customization — adapt VC dimensions to match different SoC packages

• Fin-profile optimization — adjust fin count, pitch, and height for specific chassis airflow budgets and pressure-drop constraints

• VC design variants — alter internal wick structure, working-fluid charge, or chamber thickness for different power levels or orientation requirements

• Alternative surface finishes — selective gold plating for wire-bondable areas, chromate conversion for specific applications, or organic solderability preservative (OSP)

• Thermal validation support — CFD simulation, prototype testing, and characterization reports including thermal resistance curves (Rθja vs. airflow velocity)

Contact our thermal engineering team to receive a customized thermal simulation report, 3D CAD model, and volume-production quotation tailored to your specific switch platform and deployment scenario.

Why Choose VC003

VC003 belongs to our Vapor Chamber Heatsink product family. Explore related solutions: [TVC001 3D Vapor Chamber — Coherent Optical Modules] · [VC002 Ultra-Thin Vapor Chamber — QSFP-DD] · [HP006 Dual-Module Heat Pipe Heatsink — CFP DCO]

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