ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - Sandia National Laboratories is helping a tech company test a bright new idea for cooling computers.
Minnesota-based startup Maxwell Labs has entered into a cooperative research and development agreement with Sandia and the University of New Mexico to demonstrate laser-based photonic cooling for computer chips. The company is pioneering the new technology to regulate the temperature of chips, significantly lower the power consumption and increase the efficiency of conventional air and water-based systems, Sandia National Labs reports.
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The Military & Aerospace Electronics take:
2 May 2025 - “About 30 to 40 percent of the energy data centers use is spent on cooling,” said Raktim Sarma, the lead Sandia physicist on the project. He added that in some communities, the amount of water needed can strain local resources.
The goal is to enable processors to reach unprecedented performance levels by targeting microscopic hot spots with highly focused laser beams. While lasers are typically associated with heating, under specific conditions they can actually cool, especially when directed at ultra-pure materials like gallium arsenide — a key component in Maxwell’s photonic cold plate design.
Sandia will produce these materials using molecular beam epitaxy, a technique allowing atomic-level precision. Maxwell’s CEO, Jacob Balma, says their light-based cooling system not only keeps chips cooler than water can, but also recycles heat into electricity. This could lead to chips operating harder and more efficiently, potentially transforming thermal design and computing power.
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Jamie Whitney, Senior Editor
Military + Aerospace Electronics
