Monkfish
Computer
- Nov 25, 2006
- 5
What I wish to understand is the short-term or long-term dangers posed to a modern CPU by increasing its supply voltage while maintaining normal operating temperatures (or even lower than normal using exotic cooing methods).
As I see it, a transistor or CPU can be destroyed by supplying a higher than rated voltage in one of two ways: the voltage itself (e.g. static discharge), or heat spikes caused by higher currents (e.g. thermal runaway).
If the chip is being cooled then how does a higher voltage actually stress the chip? Does it produce heat spikes that cannot be conducted away sufficiently quickly?
How exactly does a static discharge destroy a transistor (i.e. is it too simply heat-related at the molecular level)? How does a higher then spec supply voltage actually stress a chip?
Perhaps someone frequents this forum with a deep knowledge of transistors or CPUs?
Thanks you
As I see it, a transistor or CPU can be destroyed by supplying a higher than rated voltage in one of two ways: the voltage itself (e.g. static discharge), or heat spikes caused by higher currents (e.g. thermal runaway).
If the chip is being cooled then how does a higher voltage actually stress the chip? Does it produce heat spikes that cannot be conducted away sufficiently quickly?
How exactly does a static discharge destroy a transistor (i.e. is it too simply heat-related at the molecular level)? How does a higher then spec supply voltage actually stress a chip?
Perhaps someone frequents this forum with a deep knowledge of transistors or CPUs?
Thanks you