Two-phase cooling, which uses both liquid and vapor phases of a coolant, has attracted attention because it can absorb large amounts of heat through evaporation.
Revolutionizing Chip Cooling with Micropillars
Estimated reading time: 3 minutes
As electronic devices get smaller and faster, keeping them cool becomes more challenging. Thanks to recent research, a new chip cooling system using advanced microchannel technology is changing the game. This breakthrough promises to boost the performance of electronic chips significantly and supports the shift toward energy-efficient tech.
Harnessing the Power of Water
Traditional chip cooling often relies on moving heat away using the sensible heat of water; that is, the amount of heat needed to raise its temperature. But this is less efficient than exploiting water’s latent heat – the energy absorbed or released during phase changes (like boiling). This means using the energy needed to change water from a liquid to a gas (vapor).
As explained by Hongyuan Shi, lead author of the study, by exploiting the latent heat of water, two-phase cooling can be achieved, resulting in a significant efficiency enhancement in terms of heat dissipation.
Overcoming the Challenges of Two-Phase Cooling
While two-phase cooling holds immense promise, it presents significant challenges. Managing the flow of vapor bubbles after heating is a challenging task. The efficiency of heat transfer depends on several factors, such as the geometry of the microchannels and the regulation of the two-phase flow.
New Chip Cooling Design Using Micropillars and Manifolds
The Role of Micropillars in Heat Evaporation
Scientists recently developed an innovative design that embeds tiny micropillars inside microchannels on chips. These micropillars act as capillary structures that help thin films of liquid evaporate evenly by improving liquid distribution along heated surfaces. This enhancement reduces dry spots that usually cause hotspots, leading to better overall cooling efficiency.
How Manifolds Improve Coolant Flow
The new device also includes manifold distribution layers. These layers split the fluid flow into multiple sections before entering the microchannels, decreasing flow resistance and lowering pressure drops across the system. With shorter fluid paths inside each channel unit, coolant moves more efficiently through the chip’s surface area where heat is generated.
A Novel Cooling System: 3D Microfluidic Channels
Researchers from the University of Tokyo tackled these challenges by creating a novel water-cooling system. This innovative system uses 3D microfluidic channel structures, incorporating a capillary structure and a manifold distribution layer. By meticulously designing and testing various capillary geometries, they optimized both the coolant flow paths and distribution for peak efficiency.
Optimizing Geometry for Maximum Cooling
Their experiments showed that the geometry of both the microchannels and the manifold channels significantly affects the cooling system’s overall performance. This research highlights the importance of understanding and manipulating fluid dynamics at a microscopic scale for effective heat dissipation.
Unprecedented Cooling Efficiency
The results were remarkable. The researchers achieved a coefficient of performance (COP) – a measure of cooling output relative to energy input – of up to 10(5). This is a substantial improvement over existing methods. As senior author Masahiro Nomura notes, Thermal management of high-power electronic devices is crucial for the development of next-generation technology, and our design may open new avenues for achieving the required cooling.
This exciting development has the potential to drastically improve the performance and energy efficiency of a wide range of electronic devices. Moreover, it opens doors for advancements in areas like sustainable computing and contributes to reaching carbon neutrality goals.
Reference
- Shi, H., Grall, S., Yanagisawa, R., Jalabert, L., Paul, S., Kim, S. H., Viovy, J. L., Daiguji, H., & Nomura, M. (2025). Chip cooling with manifold-capillary structures enables 105 COP in two-phase systems. Cell Reports Physical Science, 102520. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.xcrp.2025.102520
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Neha Adikane holds a Master’s degree in Environmental Science from Pune University, bringing a unique blend of scientific expertise and creative writing skills to her craft. She specializes in creating engaging, insightful, and impactful content across various niches. With a passion for translating complex ideas into simple, relatable narratives, she excels at crafting blogs, articles, website content, and social media posts that captivate readers and drive engagement. Neha’s background in environmental science adds depth to her writing, allowing her to effectively cover topics related to sustainability, eco-awareness, and scientific innovations.