Researchers cool CPUs with nano-size fridges

From InfoWorld: Cramming ever more transistors into CPUs has not troubled chip makers Intel and AMD. The problem, rather, has been how to handle the extreme heat generated by the movement of so many electrons in such a tiny space.

With heat sinks and fans not up to the task of cooling the 100 degree Celsius and greater chips, makers stopped trying to raise processor speeds several years ago and moved to building multi-core CPUs instead.

Gamers and performance fanatics responded by usingwater, liquid nitrogen and other exotic liquids to cool their overclocked CPUs.

And it's not just overclockers pushing the envelope. AMD has gotten into the act, this month enabling its new Phenom II desktop processor to run at a record 6.5 GHz by cooling it with liquid nitrogen. And liquid cooling is even gaining interest from the far-more-conservative server and datacenter crowd .

However, the danger of mixing liquids with electronics remains, despite containment efforts.

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