Engineers at the University of Rochester are using advanced biological imaging techniques to identify small, overheated components that reduce the efficiency of electronic devices.

Electronic devices, such as laptops and smartphones, often suffer from nanoscale heat transfer problems when they overheat. Finding the source of this problem can be very challenging.

Precise temperature mapping
Andrea Pickel, an assistant professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Rochester and a scientist at the Laboratory for Laser Energetics, explains that transistors, the basic components of modern electronics, are very small, making it important to obtain a precise temperature map to identify overheated parts. This requires nanoscale resolution.

Innovative approaches
Existing optical thermometry techniques are impractical due to their limitations in spatial resolution. Pickel and her doctoral students, Ziyang Ye and Benjamin Harrington, developed a new approach using optical super-resolution fluorescence techniques that were awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry. In their study published in the journal Science Advances, they describe the process of mapping heat transfer using luminescent nanoparticles.

Technological advancements
By applying highly doped upconverting nanoparticles to the surface of the device, researchers achieved high-resolution nanoscale thermometry at distances up to 10 millimeters. This is a significant distance in the world of super-resolution microscopy, where work is typically done at less than one millimeter.

Challenges and adaptations
Pickel emphasizes that while biological imaging techniques provide inspiration, their application to electronics poses significant challenges due to different materials. Biologists often use fluids like water or oil between the lens and the sample, which is not suitable for electronic devices.

Industrial applications
The technique was demonstrated on an electric heater structure that creates sharp temperature gradients, but Pickel claims that their method can be used to improve various electronic components. The team hopes to reduce the power of the laser needed for measurement and improve the methods of applying nanoparticle layers to devices.

Support and funding
The research is supported by the National Science Foundation and the University of Rochester through the Furth Fund Award.

Source: University of Rochester