xMEMS has unveiled an innovative cooling chip designed to eliminate performance throttling in SSDs, putting an end to reduced data access speeds caused by overheating.
For slim, sealed electronic devices such as ultraportable laptops and handheld gadgets, passive heat dissipation for SSDs often fails to deliver satisfactory results. As SSDs are typically placed in close proximity to heat-intensive components including CPUs and GPUs, the internal thermal space of devices is nearly saturated, leaving barely any extra margin for heat dissipation. Heat builds up continuously during device operation. Without circulating airflow to dissipate trapped heat, the temperature of SSDs will keep climbing until the system triggers performance throttling.
Once throttling is activated, the transmission speed of SSDs may drop by 20% to 30% or even higher. For instance, an SSD with a theoretical read and write speed of 2.0 GB/s may slow down to 1.5 GB/s under continuous working loads. For end users, this means prolonged file transfer times, laggy application operation, and higher latency during AI computing tasks. Most ultrathin and portable devices lack sufficient internal space to accommodate traditional cooling fans, making the conventional airflow heat dissipation method impractical. Fortunately, an advanced alternative solution has emerged.
Mike Housholder, Vice President of Marketing at xMEMS Labs, stated that µCooling is the sole compact active cooling solution that can be embedded directly into SSDs. It provides targeted heat dissipation for core heating areas, effectively preventing frequency reduction and sustaining the SSD’s maximum data transmission speed.
Developed independently by xMEMS, the Micro-cooling (µCooling) technology adopts piezoMEMS (piezoelectric microelectromechanical system) technology. It generates steady airflow through tiny mechanical movements inside the active convection semiconductor chip.
xMEMS piezoelectric flap deformation sequence.
The piezoMEMS component leverages the piezoelectric effect to produce physical motion. Piezoelectric materials will deform when exposed to an electric field, and they can also create electric charges under physical pressure. To put it simply, the chip is equipped with tiny elongated fan-shaped blades inside reserved holes. These blades bend under electric excitation to push air through the holes; when the power supply is cut off, the blades reset to their original shape. The repeated deformation of the blades forms continuous air flow.
xMEMS piezoelectric cooling chip on top of an SSD.
Multiple such miniature cooling units are assembled in an array on a single chip to form stable airflow. When the chip is attached to the high-temperature areas of SSD memory particles, it can quickly draw hot air away and introduce ambient cool air for heat exchange.
The XMC-2400 µCooling chip is merely 1 millimeter thick. It operates with zero noise and no mechanical vibration. With a power consumption of 150 mW, its maximum air displacement reaches 28 cc/s. Manufactured by standard semiconductor processing technology, the chip measures 7.42 × 9.48 × 1.13 millimeters and supports both top and side air outlet designs.
Headquartered in Santa Clara, xMEMS was established in 2018. The company is well-known for its piezoelectric speakers applied to wireless earbuds, and it has expanded its product line to high-performance cooling chips. In late 2025, the enterprise completed a Series D financing round worth $21 million, and it currently owns more than 245 authorized patents globally.
For more detailed information, you can check out the relevant YouTube video.
Footnote
The term "piezoelectric" originates from the Greek word "piezin", which translates to "squeeze". Extruding piezoelectric materials can generate electric charges; conversely, applying an electric field to such materials will cause shape deformation.
Beijing Qianxing Jietong Technology Co., Ltd.
Sandy Yang/Global Strategy Director
WhatsApp / WeChat: +86 13426366826
Email: yangyd@qianxingdata.com
Website: www.qianxingdata.com/www.storagesserver.com
Business Focus:
ICT Product Distribution/System Integration & Services/Infrastructure Solutions
With 20+ years of IT distribution experience, we partner with leading global brands to deliver reliable products and professional services.
“Using Technology to Build an Intelligent World”Your Trusted ICT Product Service Provider!
Your message must be between 20-3,000 characters!
English
