Modern electronics are increasingly facing the problem of microchip cooling. Without effective heat dissipation, the development of technologies is impossible — from smartphones to artificial intelligence systems. Russian scientists have proposed a solution that could change the situation.
Researchers from Tomsk Polytechnic University, together with colleagues from the Frumkin Institute of Physical Chemistry and Electrochemistry of the Russian Academy of Sciences, have developed a new approach to creating heat-transfer surfaces for cooling microchips — key elements of modern electronics.
The problem has been known for a long time. Without effective heat dissipation, the development of supercomputers, robotics, and unmanned vehicles is impossible. Existing single-phase cooling systems can only cope with heat fluxes up to 100 W/cm², while modern power electronics require much higher values.
One of the promising solutions is two-phase droplet irrigation systems. In them, the cooling liquid evaporates directly on the surface of the chip. But in order for such a system to work effectively, it is necessary to precisely control the movement of droplets: direct them to the areas of greatest overheating and control the evaporation process.
It was this task that the scientists solved. Using a laser, they created a special structure on the surface of the metal, and then made different sections of the surface with different properties — some repel liquid, others, on the contrary, attract it. This contrast allowed the surface to independently "redistribute" the droplets, attracting them exactly where maximum cooling is required.
It turned out that such surfaces dissipate heat six times better than conventional ones. And with moderate heating, the cooling efficiency increases up to twenty times.
The data obtained can become the basis for adaptive cooling systems of a new generation, which will allow future processors to work faster without the risk of overheating.