Summary:
UCLA researchers have introduced a solid-state thermal transistor that achieves groundbreaking performance and facilitates improved heat flow manipulation.
Background:
The forefront of thermal management is marked by the exploration of molecular thermal transistors, driven by the quest for more efficient electronic devices. Researchers are actively engaged in manipulating heat flow at the molecular level, envisioning a molecular thermal transistor like its electronic counterpart. This revolutionary concept involves modulating a material's thermal conductance through external stimuli, such as an electric field. However, achieving precise control of how heat flows through the material, comparable to electron control, faces enduring challenges due to the spectral distribution of heat carriers and their intricate interactions with external fields. Recent advancements have addressed some limitations in controlling thermal transport, yet existing approaches relying on structural phase changes, mass transfer, or electrochemical scattering motion encounter hurdles like small switching ratios and slow response speeds—often minutes to hours. Attempts to tune thermal conductivity are further complicated by issues such as compromising performance reliability and semiconductor manufacturing compatibility. Consequently, there is an urgent need for innovative molecular thermal transistors and fabrication methods to overcome existing limitations, paving the way for a new era of dynamic and precise thermal control across various industries.
Innovation:
Led by Prof. Yongjie Hu and Prof. Paul Weiss, a team of researchers developed a groundbreaking molecular thermal transistor, revolutionizing heat management through the on-off switching of an electric field, mirroring the well-established principles of electrical transistors. This first-of-its-kind solid-state thermal transistor showcases unparalleled speed and precision in controlling the flow of heat via an external electric field. Notably, the transistor achieves fast thermal switching speeds surpassing 1 MHz. In their proof-of-concept demonstration, the measured thermal conductance per unit area achieves a large monotonic increase from 10 to 134 MW/m2K with applied gate voltage applied from 2.5 V to – 2.5 V, resulting in over 1300% thermal switching ratio—the highest reported to date. Measured at 1 million gating cycles between on and off states, this invention introduces a robust platform with unparalleled performance, offering fast, precise, and scalable thermal conductance control—an advancement poised to revolutionize diverse industries reliant on thermal management technologies. Moreover, this invention extends beyond its immediate applications, holding the potential to open new frontiers in the realm of mechanobiology, offering a novel approach to precisely control and investigate nanoscale vibrational interactions with living cells.
Potential Applications:
- Temperature sensing and regulation for:
- Electronics
- Vehicles
- Robotics
- Aerospace operations
- Datacenters and other energy-efficient buildings
- Thermal energy conversion, storage and management systems
- Thermal logic gates for computing in hostile environments
- Mechanobiology investigations
Advantages:
• Ultrafast switching speeds: over 1 MHz
• Broad thermal conductance control: over 1300%
• Highly dynamic and reversible thermal conductance: over 1,000,000 gate cycles
• Negligible power usage to control heat precisely and continuously
• Solid state design (NO moving parts)
• Scalable technology
Press Releases: UCLA researchers develop solid-state thermal transistor for better heat management.
Development to Date:
A proof-of-concept demonstration has been completed.
Related Papers:
Li M, Wu H, Avery EM, Qin Z, Goronzy DP, Nguyen HD, Liu T, Weiss PS, Hu Y.
Electrically gated molecular thermal switch. Science. 2023 Nov 3;382(6670):585-9.
Reference:
UCLA Case No. 2024-099