xMEMS extends micro cooling fan-on-a-chip tech to AI data centers
1 min read
Summary
Silicon-based chips will be used to cool microprocessors and GPUs in data centres as part of a new project by xMEMS Labs, which makes chips based on its Micro Electromechanical Systems (MEMS) technology.
The chips, which are made up of tiny mechanical structures crafted from silicon on semiconductor chips, will be introduced to optical transceivers in order to facilitate active thermal management.
Conventionally, these components are cooled using large-scale cooling systems, but this method is becoming increasingly limited, according to xMEMS Labs, hence the need for more sophisticated thermal management solutions that can operate at 18W TDP or higher.
Thermal modelling has shown that the new solution could remove up to 5W of heat, potentially reducing DSP operating temperatures by more than 15% and thermal resistance by more than 20%.
The only active cooling solution small enough to be embedded inside optical transceivers, the new chips could also improve signal integrity and extend module lifetimes.