Chips could harvest their own energy using a newly-created alloy

Researchers developed a germanium-tin alloy to convert processor waste heat into electricity, enhancing energy efficiency in electronic devices.

: Researchers across Europe have created a germanium-tin alloy that converts waste heat from computer processors back into electricity. This breakthrough aims to address the significant energy consumption of electronic devices by harnessing low-temperature heat. The alloy, compatible with existing semiconductor fabrication processes, could lead to more energy-efficient and sustainable electronics.

Researchers from European universities and institutes have developed a novel alloy of silicon, germanium, and tin capable of converting waste heat from computer processors into electricity. This significant advancement in materials for on-chip energy harvesting aims to tackle the high-energy consumption of electronic devices, which waste about 1.2 Exajoule of heat annually in Europe alone.

The team behind this creation includes experts from Forschungszentrum Jülich, IHP – Leibniz Institute for High Performance Microelectronics, University of Pisa, University of Bologna, and University of Leeds. The germanium-tin alloy significantly reduces thermal conductivity while maintaining electrical properties, making it ideal for thermoelectric applications compatible with existing CMOS processes in chip production.

By integrating this alloy into silicon-based computer chips, waste heat generated during operation can be converted back to electrical energy, potentially leading to improvements in device performance. Exploiting the alloying properties of Group IV elements expands application areas to include thermoelectrics, photonics, and spintronics, supporting the long-term goal of integrating these technologies monolithically on a single silicon chip.

ThermoelectricsGermanium alloySemiconductors