The future of AI may not be decided by algorithms or GPUs — but by a tiny material between chip and cooler. In this episode we break down the physics and engineering of Thermal Interface Materials (TIMs), based on The development of thermal interface materials (Nature Electronics, 2025).
We explore why TIMs now control performance, reliability, and thermal limits in AI hardware, how nanoscale roughness disrupts heat flow, and what materials scientists are doing to close the performance gap between theory and reality. If you think heat is just an engineering detail — think again.
📄 Source paper: The development of thermal interface materials. Nature Electronics 8, 1146–1155 (2025)
