This technology gained worldwide recognition by receiving the 2025 R&D 100 Award which rose Samsung Peltier cooling technology to the top. The result, developed in collaboration with the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL), is the world’s first Peltier cooling technology based on available nano-engineered thin-film thermoelectrics that has the potential for high-efficiency.
Since 1963, the R&D 100 Awards, referred to as the “Nobel Prize of Engineering” or the “Oscars of Innovation,” has been presented to the most innovative technologies in the world. Samsung Peltier cooling technology is being recognized globally as one of the top 100 technologies of 2025 in terms of innovativeness and practicality.
Samsung Research’s Life Solution Team and Johns Hopkins APL pioneered the use of advanced nano-engineering to bring the efficiency of Peltier devices close to the theoretical limit (around 75%). The team successfully applied new thin-film semiconductor materials to create a next generation Peltier refrigerator that exceeds traditional vapor compression refrigerators in efficiency. The impact validation of Samsung Peltier cooling tech was published in Nature Communications in May 2025.
Samsung Peltier cooling technology for innovation and practical use has earned global recognition through the R&D 100 Award,” said Joonhyun Lee, Executive Vice President and Head of the Life Solution Team, Samsung Research. Samsung is continuing to create innovative technologies that bring new value to industries and society, and this further solidifies our leadership in the next-gen cooling market.
Samsung Peltier cooling technology is a refrigerant-free solid-state cooling system that provides accurate temperature control in plenty of sustainable ways. It replaces harmful refrigerants with a system that is also efficient and offers proven performance – it something that traditional systems simply cannot do. Not limited to refrigerators, Samsung Peltier cooling technology is a versatile and future-ready refrigeration solution that can revolutionize industries like semiconductors, medical devices, automotive electronics, and data center applications.
This collaboration with Johns Hopkins APL exemplifies the power of combining academic research with industrial experience to address challenging technological problems. APL is a not-for-profit research center based in Maryland that supports complex research and development efforts in national security, aerospace and emerging technologies. Samsung and APL were able to show that cooling innovation leads to real, multifunctional benefits through collaboration.
Samsung Peltier cooling technology is a perfect model for sustainable engineering, applied science, and exceptional innovation. This 2025 R&D 100 Award further solidifies Samsung’s leadership in next-generation cooling technology with transformational potential in multiple industries.
FAQ
Samsung Peltier cooling technology is an advanced solid-state cooling system that incorporates nano-engineered thin-film thermoelectrics for better cooling with higher efficiency, without using any refrigerant.
This technology is noted for improving efficiency by 75%, its sustainable refrigerant-free design, and its industrial application potential in industry sectors including semiconductors and medical devices.
Samsung Peltier cooling technology can provide efficient and high-precision cooling for use in areas such as semiconductors, medical devices, automotive electronics and data centers.
