US Patent 7639719 Thermal shunt for active devices on silicon-on-insulator wafers

An optimized structure for heat dissipation is provided that may include two types of thermal shunts. The first type of thermal shunt employed involves using p and n metal contact layers to conduct heat away from the active region and into the silicon substrate. The second type of thermal shunt involves etching and backfilling a portion of the silicon wafer with poly-silicon to conduct heat to the silicon substrate.