Our History

TMX Scientific Inc. was founded in 2007 in Dallas, Texas by Dr. Peter Raad. After many years of research at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Dr. Raad and his team transformed their findings on thermoreflectance into their first product: a non-contact, non-destructive thermal imaging device that could achieve submicron resolutions. Since its inception, TMX Scientific has evolved to include products that generate thermal images at submicron resolution, determine material thermal properties of ultra-thin-films, and simulate heat transfer behavior of complex devices.

In 2013, TMX Scientific partnered with Quantum Focus Instruments (QFI) to combine the TMX Scientific T°Imager® with the QFI InfraScope™ system. The integrated solution combines the advantages of infrared and thermoreflectance thermal measurements and provides a highly-versatile thermal microscopy system for customers with a wide range of needs.

 

What We Do

TMX Scientific is the first to achieve:

  • Submicron surface temperature optical imaging of microelectronic devices
  • Accurate and non-contact measurements of thermal diffusivity and interface resistance of thin-film materials
  • Fast and accurate subsurface thermal mapping of complex 3D devices

TMX Scientific provides next generation thermal metrology systems and solutions to address microscale cooling challenges in microelectronics. Based on our novel and proprietary capabilities, TMX Scientific's services and measurement systems are ideal for measuring surface temperature fields with submicron resolution, for measuring the thermal properties of thin-film materials, and for rapidly characterizing heat conduction in complex 3D devices. Our services and tools make it possible to shorten design cycle time; eliminate trial and error; and optimize performance, power, reliability, and costs.

 

Our Mission

TMX Scientific is committed to helping you solve your microelectronic thermal challenges with its first-of-its-kind submicron imaging, real-time simulation, and material thermal property metrology. With our tools and expertise you will be able to identify, diagnose, and resolve your deep submicron thermal challenges.

We also integrate or custom design our measurement and simulation systems to meet your specialized needs.

With speed, accuracy, and intuitive control, TMX Scientific systems enable fast prototyping, diagnostics, and submicron hot-spot detection and failure localization, both on the surface and inside a device.

 

Recognition / Publications

Allan Kraus Thermal Management Medal, 2014
Semitherm Best Paper Award, 2013
Semitherm Best Paper Award, 2006
Harvey Rosten Award for Excellence in Thermal Analysis of Electronic Equipment, 2006

“Adaptive Modeling of the Transients of Submicron Integrated Circuits,” IEEE Transactions on Components, Packaging, and Manufacturing Technology (CPMT) – Part A, v21, pp. 412-417, 1998
“A Fractional Calculus Approach for Calculating the Thermal Conductivity of Thin Films from Surface Transient Measurements,” ASME J. Heat Transfer, v123, pp. 1133-1138, 2001
"Influence of a Metallic Absorption Layer on the Quality of Thermal Conductivity Measurements by the Transient Thermo-Reflectance Method”, Microelectronics J., v33, pp. 697-703, 2002
“A Study of the Effect of Surface Metallization on Thermal Conductivity Measurements by the Transient Thermo-Reflectance Method,” ASME J. Heat Transfer, v124, pp. 1009-1018, 2002
“Thermal Transport Properties of Gold-Covered Thin-Film Silicon Dioxide,” IEEE Trans. CPT, v26, pp. 80-88, 2003
“Transient Thermo-Reflectance Measurements of Thermal Conductivity and Interface Resistance of Metallized Natural and Isotopically-Pure Silicon,” Microelectronics J., v34, pp. 1115-1118, 2003
“Performance Analysis of the Transient Thermo-Reflectance Method for Measuring the Thermal Conductivity of Single Layer Materials,” Intl. J. Heat Mass Transfer (IJHMT), v47, pp. 3233-3244, 2004
“A Transient Self-Adaptive Technique for Modeling Thermal Problems with Large Variations in Physical Scales,” IJHMT, v47, pp. 3707-3720, 2004
“Minimizing the Uncertainties Associated with the Measurement of Thermal Properties by the Transient Thermo-Reflectance Method,” IEEE Trans. CPT, v28, pp. 39-44, 2005
“Non-Contact Transient Temperature Mapping of Active Electronic Devices Using the Thermoreflectance Method,” IEEE Trans. CPT, v28, pp. 637-643, 2005
“An Integrated Experimental and Computational System for the Thermal Characterization of Complex Three-Dimensional Submicron Electronic Devices,” IEEE Trans. CPT, v30, pp. 597-603, 2007
“Thermal Characterization of Embedded Electronic Features by an Integrated System of CCD Thermography and Self-Adaptive Numerical Modeling,” Microelectronics J., v39, pp. 1008-1015, 2008
“Thermal Challenges in Next-Generation Electronic Systems,” IEEE Trans. CPT, v31, pp. 801-815, 2008
“Thermo-Reflectance Thermography for Submicron Temperature Measurements,” Electronics Cooling, v14, pp. 28-29, 2008
“CCD-Based Thermoreflectance Microscopy: Principles and Applications,” J. of Physics D: Applied Physics, v42, pp. 143001-143021, 2009
“Numerical Simulation of Complex Submicron Devices,” Electronics Cooling, v15, pp. 18-22, 2009
“Keeping Moore’s Law Alive,” Electronics Cooling, v16, pp. 14-18, 2010
“Direct Observation of Heat Transport in Plural AlN Films Using Thermal Imaging and Transient Thermal Reflectance Method,” Electrochemical and Solid-State Letters 14, H184, 2011
“Thermoreflectance Temperature Measurements for Optically Emitting Devices,” Microelectronics J., v45, pp. 515-520, 2014