Nano thin-film Peltier device and high-efficiency Peltier refrigerator (Photo courtesy of Samsung Electronics)
SEOUL, Aug. 25 (Korea Bizwire) — Samsung Electronics announced Sunday that its joint research with Johns Hopkins University’s Applied Physics Laboratory on next-generation Peltier cooling technology has been named one of the world’s top 100 innovations at the 2025 R&D 100 Awards.
First established in 1963, the R&D 100 Awards are often called the “Oscars of innovation” or the “Nobel Prizes of engineering,” recognizing breakthroughs that advance science and technology.
This year, R&D World Magazine highlighted the team’s development of the world’s first high-performance thin-film Peltier semiconductor device using nanotechnology, as well as its successful demonstration of a Peltier-based refrigerator.
According to the judges, the new thin-film deposition process boosted cooling efficiency by about 75 percent compared with conventional refrigerants, while also enabling miniaturization and weight reduction. The team’s findings were published in Nature Communications in May.
Unlike conventional chemical refrigerants, Peltier cooling uses no greenhouse gases, offering an environmentally friendly alternative that allows fast and precise temperature control. The technology is seen as promising for a wide range of industries, including consumer electronics, semiconductors, medical devices, automotive systems and data centers.
“This global award, which recognizes technologies ready for commercialization, is a great honor,” said Lee Jun-hyun, vice president of Samsung Research’s Life Solution Team. “It validates both the innovation and practicality of our next-generation Peltier cooling technology.”
Kevin Lee (kevinlee@koreabizwire.com)
