Big tech has a big cooling problem . Data centers require massive amounts of energy to keep their chips—the semiconductors that process, store, and transmit data—from overheating. As these facilities proliferate across the U.S., the power grid is feeling the crunch , but an innovative new technology could help ease this strain.

Direct-to-chip cooling, which circulates coolant through “cold plates” mounted directly on processors, is emerging as a leading cooling method for its efficiency—an increasingly critical advantage as chips grow more powerful. Now, a team of researchers has found a way to make cold plates even more efficient.…