Samsung Electronics announced on the 24th that the 'next-generation Peltier cooling technology' research, conducted through industry-academia collaboration by the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, has been selected as one of the '100 innovative technologies' in the '2025 R&D (research and development) 100 Awards.'
Peltier cooling technology is an environmentally friendly and non-chemical next-generation cooling method that does not use refrigerants. It enables fast and precise temperature control, attracting attention for its potential applications in various industries, including home appliances, semiconductors, medical devices, electronics, and data centers.
Established in 1963, the R&D 100 Awards are referred to as the 'Oscars of innovation in industry-academia collaboration' and the 'Nobel Prize of engineering.' They are organized by the U.S. 'R&D World Magazine' and annually recognize the 100 most innovative scientific and technological contributions to the advancement of science and technology.
R&D World Magazine revealed the reason for the award, stating that the Samsung Research Life Solutions Team and Johns Hopkins University researchers successfully developed the 'high-performance thin-film Peltier semiconductor device' using nanotechnology for the first time in the world, and succeeded in demonstrating a high-performance Peltier refrigerator utilizing it.
It also mentioned that by introducing a semiconductor thin-film deposition process, the cooling efficiency was improved by approximately 75% compared to existing refrigerants, while miniaturization and weight reduction were achieved simultaneously.
The research paper was published in the global academic journal 'Nature Communications' in May.
Lee Jun-hyun, vice president of the Samsung Electronics Samsung Research Life Solutions Team, said, 'It is a great honor to receive the globally recognized R&D 100 Awards that evaluate commercially viable scientific technologies,' adding, 'The fact that the next-generation Peltier cooling technology has been recognized for both innovation and practicality holds significant meaning.'