Researchers at the Molecular Foundry, through a User project with Intel, have developed a “process friendly” technique that would enable the cooling of microprocessor chips through carbon nanotubes. Using organic molecules to form strong covalent bonds between carbon nanotubes and metal surfaces, the team’s new approach improved by six-fold the flow of heat from the metal to the carbon nanotubes, paving the way for faster, more efficient cooling of computer chips. The technique is done through gas vapor or liquid chemistry at low temperatures, making it suitable for the manufacturing of computer chips.
