It’s not uncommon for design engineers to build new products and only become aware of the heat issues once it’s built. From there, mitigation strategies would need to be quickly added, like heat sinks or fans to compensate.
“Fundamentally, we want to stop that cycle of people creating things and then wondering why they end up getting too hot,” said Foley, assistant professor of mechanical engineering. “Considering these electro-thermal models and making critical thermal decisions early on won’t just save money, but it will make immensely better technologies.”
A new frontier
All co-hires of the Penn State Materials Research Institute, the members of the team have their sights set on a cutting-edge semi-conductor material that has the potential to inspire the next generation of tech.
A newly discovered material, cubic boron arsenide, is predicted to conduct and withstand much higher amounts of heat than the popular semi-conductors used today. With its ultra-high thermal conductivity, potentially superior electronic properties, and presumed compatibility with existing electronic materials, cubic boron arsenide is poised to disrupt the market.
“With this material, we can realize the maximum potential of future technologies," Choi explained.
Cubic boron arsenide's properties currently are only surpassed by diamond, said the researchers. The team said they want to be the trailblazers to bring this revolution to the electronics field.
“There is no question this is a potential path forward,” Foley said. “But instead of waiting for the market, we’re going to accelerate it.”
In anticipation, the team are already seeking seed funding and collaborating with other Penn State researchers to synthesize the first samples of the material.
“We have to lead the charge with this,” Foley said. “It’s not every day a semi-conductor with thermal properties like this falls out of the sky.”
One-stop shop
In their research center, the Center for Studying the Physics of Transport (C-SPOT), the team plans to study the material, create simulations to test its effectiveness, and fuse the material into devices to see firsthand how it works. Karen Thole, distinguished professor and department head, originally envisioned creating the team from different disciplines to create synergy.
The team estimates that only two other universities in the world have the ability to explore cubic boron arsenide on this scale.
“Our ability to dig into this is unique to Penn State,” Foley said. “Even though it’s a new frontier, we have a team in place that can study these issues of heat transport on the nanoscale from beginning to end, starting with the synthesis and concluding with functional devices.”
In the hands of Ramos-Alvarado, assistant professor of mechanical engineering, the fundamental physics of the material will be examined. He explained, “From experiments, you can determine that yes, it is a highly conductive material, but you can’t explain why. My work will go deeply into the heat transfer process at the energy carrier level.”
Next, Foley will study the experimental properties to confirm those simulations, proving its validity as a semi-conductor. Finally, Choi will test the material’s effectiveness when it has been incorporated into a device, confirming the functionality once it’s in use.
While this kind of technology can often take decades to mature, bringing together these minds can dramatically expedite the efforts. Foley said, “Other research areas sometimes wait for industry to make the advancements, but for us, we’re planning to be the first to take this risk.”