New thermoelectric material

The discovery of a new thermoelectric material that may someday help double the speed at which computers operate is detailed in the Feb. 11 issue of Science. When jolted with an electrical current, the temperature of current thermoelectric materials can drop by as much as 60 degrees. The new material could make the drop as low as 100 degrees. Eventually, it could be used to cool items such as computer chips, which operate much more efficiently at lower temperatures. "The Navy is very interested in alternative cooling technologies that are quiet, reliable, low cost and environmentally friendly," said ONR Program Officer John Pazik. These results have significant implications for cooling in optical detection systems and electronic systems. A team of ONR-funded researchers at Michigan State University, the University of Michigan and Northwestern University made the discovery. "We're excited about this material because it out-performs the current material at this lower temperature," said Mercouri Kanatzidis, the MSU professor of chemistry in whose laboratory the discovery was made. The new material could also eventually help alleviate the relatively inefficient way computers cool themselves. Most computers today use fans. As computer chips become smaller and more powerful, they generate more heat, and fan cooling will not be enough. The discovery stems from several years of basic research. Kanatzidis stressed that additional work is needed before this new material will have practical applications.