(331f) On Using the Anisotropy in the Thermal Resistance of Solid-Fluid Interfaces to More Effectively Cool Nano-Electronics

As power intensive electronic components are further miniaturized into nanodevices, their heat dissipation is a serious operational and safety concern. While nanochannels and nanofins are often used for facilitating heat dissipation, the liquid-solid interfaces that form (Kapitza resistance), become significant barriers to heat transfer. We demonstrate that the thermal resistance of these interfaces is strongly anisotropic. The resistance of an interface that lies along the direction of heat transfer is significantly smaller than the more well-known Kapitza resistance (that occurs across an interface lying perpendicular to the direction of thermal transport) and is even lower than that of the bulk fluid. As a result, if devices are designed to dissipate heat parallel to an interface, heat dissipation can be significantly enhanced. Our studies are also able to explain the molecular basis of this observed anisotropy in interfacial resistance, which has hitherto remained unreported.