Maxwell Labs Announces Cooperative Research & Development Agreement With Sandia Labs and the University of New Mexico to Demonstrate Laser Cooling for High Density Processors

ST. PAUL, MN / April 8, 2025 — Maxwell Labs (www.mxllabs.com), the global leader in laser cooling technology for AI hardware and high-performance computing (HPC) systems, today announced a groundbreaking Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with Sandia National Laboratories and the University of New Mexico (UNM) to pioneer laser-based photonic cooling for high-density computer processors. This collaboration aims to revolutionize thermal management in data centers by leveraging cutting-edge photonic technology to enhance energy efficiency and unlock unprecedented processor performance.

Maxwell Labs is spearheading the development of a photonic cold plate designed to replace or complement traditional air- and water-based cooling systems. By harnessing laser light to target and cool localized hot spots on chips — such as GPUs — the technology aims to reduce power consumption, improve efficiency, and enable energy recovery paradigms not possible with conventional methods. The project addresses a critical challenge in the data center industry, where cooling accounts for 30 to 40 percent of energy use and often strains local water resources.

"A successful project will not only address the immediate need for energy savings but also pave the way for processors to operate at performance levels that were previously thought impossible. This collaboration positions us to redefine the future of computing."

A Three-Way Partnership Built for Precision

Under the CRADA, each partner brings a distinct and critical capability:

Sandia's decades-long experience in producing high-quality semiconductors — bolstered by its role in the Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies (CINT), a DOE Office of Science user facility — ensures the precision and purity required for the photonic cooling system to succeed.

"The unique capability of light to target and control localized heating unlocks thermal design constraints so fundamental to chip design that it's hard to predict the full impact — but it will fundamentally change the types of problems we can solve with computers. Our models show this laser-based approach can keep chips colder than water-based systems, enabling higher performance and novel energy recovery."

The project builds on prior collaboration between Maxwell's Co-Founder & Chief Technology Officer, Alejandro Rodriguez — a professor at Princeton University — and Sandia physicist Raktim Sarma. "Dr. Sarma and Sandia Labs are among the few partners with the vision and technical capabilities to tackle the interdisciplinary challenges of this pioneering work," Rodriguez noted.

By integrating Maxwell's innovative designs, Sandia's semiconductor expertise, and UNM's analytical capabilities, this CRADA exemplifies a powerful partnership driving next-generation technology toward commercialization. The initiative aligns with Sandia's record of fostering innovation, as evidenced by its 72 new CRADAs in fiscal year 2024 — the second-highest total in its 75-year history.

Photo credit: Craig Fritz

About Maxwell Labs

Maxwell Labs, Inc., headquartered in St. Paul, MN, is pioneering laser cooling solutions for AI hardware and high-performance computing (HPC) systems. Through its proprietary technology that converts heat into light, Maxwell Labs redefines data center cooling by overcoming the limitations of conventional methods, significantly enhancing thermal management for today's most demanding applications. For more information, visit www.mxllabs.com.