'Clever pipework takes the heat out of frying chips'

(Article Precis, 01/Aug/1998, Issue 2145, p16)
Jeff Hecht reports that a research team at Sandia national Labs has developed a chip with a cooling mechanism that is a fundamental part of the chip substrate.

As the heat generated by chips increases towards many tens of watts, researchers are looking for better ways to keep chips cool. This new technique uses existing manufacturing methods to create tiny tubes, filled with a light solvent, mere nanometres across in the base of the chip. A natural heating action makes the liquid within the tubes transfer heat away from the chip's core, offering better cooling efficiencies compared to traditional plated metal structures.


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Precised by Ian Mapleson, 16/Aug/1998.