Researchers at Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) and Samsung Electronics have developed a powerful new cooling technology that could replace the bulky compressors found in traditional refrigerators.
This new system uses advanced nano-engineered materials to cool things down without any moving parts or harmful chemicals—making it more efficient, quieter, and better for the environment.
The heart of this breakthrough is a thin-film material called CHESS, short for controlled hierarchically engineered superlattice structures.
CHESS took over a decade to develop and was first created for national security purposes.
Now, it’s being used to make refrigerators that are almost twice as efficient as those using the current best solid-state cooling materials.
Unlike traditional fridges that use compressors and chemical refrigerants to create cold air, this new method uses thermoelectric cooling.
That means it moves heat using electrons in special semiconductors, creating a cooling effect with no moving parts. This process is silent, compact, and more environmentally friendly.
In tests, refrigerators built with CHESS materials used up to 70% less energy than those using older thermoelectric materials.
At the material level, the efficiency was nearly 100% better. Even at the module and system levels, the gains were significant—around 75% and 70% improvement, respectively. These tests were conducted in real-world conditions to ensure the results were practical and not just limited to the lab.
One of the biggest advantages of CHESS is how little material it requires. Each unit needs only as much material as a grain of sand.
This means it can be made using existing semiconductor manufacturing equipment—the same tools used to make computer chips or solar cells. That opens the door to large-scale production and lower costs.
The materials were made using a well-established process called metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD), which is already widely used in making solar panels and LED lights. Because the process is proven and scalable, it makes mass production of these cooling units much more realistic.
But the promise of this technology goes far beyond refrigerators. CHESS materials can also turn heat into electricity, which could power wearable devices, medical prosthetics, or even space equipment. Their size and flexibility allow for all kinds of creative applications—from keeping your phone cool to managing the temperature inside large buildings without traditional air conditioning.
The team at APL is now working on developing larger systems, such as freezers and full HVAC units, and even looking at how artificial intelligence could help manage energy use more efficiently.
They’re also partnering with companies to turn this innovation into products people can use in their homes, offices, or even spacecraft.
With CHESS, the future of cooling looks quieter, cleaner, and far more efficient. And best of all, it’s not science fiction—it’s already here.
