3D cooling method uses boiling water to supercharge electronics with 7x performance boost
While effective, this method is limited by water’s sensible heat.
The Japanese researchers combined microchannel geometry with capillary structures to set a performance record, paving the way for advances in electronics and sustainable tech.
Moore’s Law has fueled decades of progress in electronics, with chips becoming ever smaller and more powerful. But this miniaturization comes at a cost—more heat in less space, pushing current cooling methods to their limits. To tackle this growing issue, researchers from the Institute of Industrial Science at The University of Tokyo have developed a new cooling technique for microchips, a breakthrough published in Cell Reports Physical Science.
As chips shrink, Tokyo researchers rethink cooling
One of the most effective cooling methods today uses microchannels embedded in the chip to circulate water and remove heat. But this approach is limited by water’s sensible heat—the energy it can absorb before boiling. In comparison, the latent heat released during boiling is roughly seven times higher, offering far greater cooling potential.
While effective, this method is limited by water’s sensible heat—the energy it takes to raise the temperature without a phase change. By comparison, the latent heat absorbed during boiling or evaporation is about seven times higher, enabling much greater cooling potential.
According to the researchers, exploiting the latent heat of water enables two-phase cooling, leading to a significant improvement in heat dissipation efficiency.