xMEMS Labs, Inc. announced the expansion of its µCooling fan-on-a-chip platform to solid-state drives (SSDs). The technology enables in-drive active cooling for enterprise E3.S form factor SSDs used in AI data centers and NVMe M.2 SSDs used in laptop PCs.
SSD thermal management has traditionally relied on passive heat spreaders and ambient airflow from system fans. These approaches face limitations when managing the sustained workloads common in AI, HPC, and modern computing environments. As SSD speeds exceed 7 GB/s, thermal throttling creates performance barriers. The xMEMS µCooling platform addresses these challenges by delivering localized active cooling directly to NAND flash and controller ICs from within the SSD itself.
In AI data centers, SSDs in E3.S form factors typically operate at 9.5W TDP or higher, generating thermal hotspots in compact, dense racks. Thermal modeling with µCooling integration demonstrates 3W of heat removal capability, 18% average temperature reduction, and 25% lower thermal resistance. These specifications enable drives to sustain high-speed I/O without performance degradation, extending device reliability and improving throughput in AI/ML workloads.
Consumer laptop PCs present different thermal challenges, as NVMe M.2 SSDs often reach thermal limits during large file transfers, sustained writes, or gaming workloads, particularly in fanless ultrathin devices. Thermal modeling with µCooling integration shows 30-50% power overhead allowance, 20% temperature reduction, 30% lower thermal resistance, and 30% lower ∆T (temperature rise above ambient). These improvements reduce thermal slowdowns and enable higher sustained performance in compact devices.
Research firm IDC projects the SSD market will grow 21.9% CAGR through 2028, driven by increased demand for data centers, edge solutions, AI infrastructure, and consumer devices. The µCooling platform addresses thermal management requirements across these expanding market segments.
The µCooling platform employs a solid-state, piezoMEMS design with no motors or moving bearings, eliminating mechanical wear for maintenance-free operation and high-volume manufacturability. The compact footprint measures as small as 9.3 x 7.6 x 1.13mm, with scalable architecture suitable for integration across various electronic systems. The technology enables SSD designers to implement active thermal management without enlarging drive dimensions or depending on system airflow.
µCooling samples are currently available, with volume production scheduled to begin in Q1 2026. Additional information about xMEMS and the µCooling heat dissipation solution is available at xmems.com.
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