xMEMS Extends µCooling Fan-on-a-Chip to SSDs — Delivering First In-Drive Active Cooling for AI Data Centers and Laptop PCs

With temperature reduction as much as 30%, µCooling for SSDs is poised to revolutionize thermal management in high-density data centers and consumer computing devices.

SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--xMEMS Labs, Inc., inventor of the world’s first monolithic silicon MEMS air pump, today announced the expansion of its µCooling fan-on-a-chip platform to solid-state drives (SSDs), enabling the first-ever in-drive active cooling for enterprise E3.S form factor SSDs used in AI data centers and NVMe M.2 SSDs used in laptop PCs.

Traditionally, SSD thermal management has relied on passive heat spreaders and ambient airflow from system fans, which often fall short in managing the intense, sustained workloads common in AI, HPC, and modern computing environments. As SSD speeds push well beyond 7 GB/s, thermal throttling remains a performance barrier. xMEMS µCooling addresses this by delivering hyper-localized active cooling directly to NAND flash and controller ICs from within the SSD itself.

“SSDs are the data highways of modern computing — but when they overheat, everything slows down,” said Mike Housholder, VP of Marketing at xMEMS Labs. “µCooling is the only active solution small enough to live inside the SSD, delivering thermal relief exactly where it’s needed to prevent throttling and maintain peak data rates.”

In AI data centers, SSDs in E3.S form factors routinely operate at 9.5W TDP or higher, generating thermal hotspots in compact, dense racks. Thermal modeling with µCooling integrated has shown: 3W of heat removal capability; >18% average temperature reduction; and >25% lower thermal resistance.

This allows drives to sustain high-speed I/O without performance degradation, extending device reliability and improving throughput in critical AI/ML workloads.

In consumer laptop PCs, NVMe M.2 SSDs often reach thermal limits during large file transfers, sustained writes, or gaming workloads – especially in fanless ultrathin devices. Thermal modeling with µCooling integration has shown: Average 30-50% power overhead allowance; >20% temperature reduction; 30% lower thermal resistance; and 30% lower ∆T (temperature rise above ambient).

These improvements translate to fewer thermal slowdowns and higher sustained performance in even the most compact devices.

According to research firm IDC, the market for SSDs is expected to grow 21.9% CAGR through 2028, driven by increased demand for data centers, edge solutions, AI infrastructure, and consumer devices.

“With µCooling, SSD designers can finally implement true active thermal management without enlarging the drive or depending on system airflow,” added Housholder. “It’s a breakthrough for both hyperscale servers and ultraportable PCs.”

xMEMS µCooling’s solid-state, piezoMEMS design includes no motors or moving bearings, therefore no mechanical wear, enabling maintenance-free reliability and high-volume manufacturability. Its compact footprint, as small as 9.3 x 7.6 x 1.13mm, and scalable architecture make it ideal for use in a wide range of electronic systems.

µCooling samples are available now, with volume production beginning Q1 2026.

For more information about xMEMS and our µCooling heat dissipation solution, visit xmems.com. For hi-res imagery, click here.

About xMEMS Labs, Inc.

Founded in January 2018, xMEMS Labs is the “X” factor in MEMS with the world’s most innovative piezoMEMS platform. It invented the world’s first solid-state, monolithic MEMS speakers that combine the scalability of semiconductor manufacturing with revolutionary audio performance, enabling new audio experiences in wireless earbuds, wearables, hearing health, and smart glasses. The xMEMS piezoMEMS platform has also been extended to produce the world’s first μCooling fan on a chip delivering active thermal management in smartphones, SSDs, smart glasses, and data center systems like optical transceivers.

xMEMS has over 245 granted patents worldwide for its technology. For more information, visit https://xmems.com.