Scientists have revealed a breakthrough that might make our devices run cooler, more efficient, and far less energy hungry. Nearly all modern electronics, from phones to data centers, lose energy as heat. That waste limits performance, drains batteries, shortens device lifespan, and drives the need for expensive cooling. Now researchers report the design of an “optoexcitonic switch,” a device that could change this picture by carrying signals without producing waste heat.
The idea builds on excitons, which are neutral quasiparticles created when an electron absorbs energy and leaves behind a positively charged hole. Because excitons carry no overall electric charge, moving them avoids many of the energy losses tied to moving electrons. In this new device the team used photons along with carefully layered materials to guide excitons along precise pathways. The result is a switch that performs like a conventional electronic switch but transmits information with minimal heating. It also reduces the size of switches by a factor of one hundred, pointing toward ultra-compact and dense electronics.
If the approach can be scaled up, the effects would be wide reaching. Phones, laptops, and servers could run without bulky fans or complex cooling systems. Batteries could last longer. Data centers could cut both power consumption and cooling costs. Even quantum computers, which depend on tight temperature control, might benefit. The hurdles now lie in materials science and engineering. Manufacturing these switches in large numbers and integrating them into current semiconductor processes will require sustained effort.
Still the breakthrough shows that electronics may be entering a new era. As computing systems demand more power and speed, reducing waste heat becomes a central challenge. Optoexcitonic devices provide a glimpse of a future where heat is no longer a limiting factor and information flows through circuits with far less energy lost.
Electronics breakthrough means our devices may one day no longer emit waste heat, scientists say. LiveScience, September 10, 2025. https://www.livescience.com/technology/electronics/electronics-breakthrough-means-our-devices-may-one-day-no-longer-emit-waste-heat-scientists-say
Recent technology coverage. LiveScience, September 2025. https://www.livescience.com/technology