On June 28, Samsung Electronics, together with the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL), published a paper on next-generation Peltier cooling technology in the prestigious scientific journal Nature Communications.
The team successfully developed a high-efficiency thin-film semiconductor Peltier device using nano-engineering technology and demonstrated refrigerant-free cooling, highlighting the potential to deliver outstanding performance without conventional refrigerants.
Previously in 2024, Samsung Electronics opened a new chapter in refrigeration technology through the launch of the Bespoke AI Hybrid Refrigerator, which combines Peltier devices with high-efficiency compressors. Much like a hybrid vehicle, this system intelligently switches between the two cooling methods depending on what best suits the situation.
While the Bespoke AI Hybrid Refrigerator marked a major step forward, the new thin-film Peltier technology developed with Johns Hopkins APL represents a leap into the future. How will this newly unveiled innovation be applied to home appliances, and how will it shape the cooling technology of tomorrow? To find out, Samsung Newsroom spoke with Sungjin Jung from Samsung Research, who has led the technology’s development, and Hajin Jeong from the DA (Digital Appliances) Business at Samsung Electronics, who is working to integrate it into Samsung’s next-generation refrigerators.
Precise Temperature Control With Semiconductor Devices? Understanding the Principles Behind Peltier Cooling Technology
Conventional refrigerators operate using vapor compression technology. In this system, refrigerant gas is compressed into a liquid and then repeatedly evaporated to absorb and release heat, thereby lowering the internal temperature. While this widely used cooling method has proven effective, the use of refrigerants raises environmental concerns, and there are limitations in reducing power consumption — making it a challenge to carry this approach into the future and adapt it to evolving needs. Additionally, the bulky compressors and complex mechanical components inherent in this system place constraints on refrigerator design.
In contrast, Peltier cooling technology takes a different approach. As a semiconductor-based method that uses electricity to transfer heat, Peltier cooling utilizes the Peltier effect, in which an electric current passing through both ends of a Peltier device causes one side to absorb heat while the other side releases it.
Utilizing the Peltier effect, the surface that absorbs heat and cools can be placed inside the refrigerator, while the surface that releases the absorbed heat can be positioned outside — effectively lowering the internal temperature. The greatest advantage of this method is its precise control of heat flow using only electricity. In addition, its simple structure compared to refrigerant-based mechanical systems allows for greater flexibility in refrigerator design.
Advancing Peltier Technology and Expanding Possibilities Through Global Collaboration
In early 2023, Samsung Electronics ramped up cross-organizational collaboration — bringing together the DA Business, Samsung Research and Global Technology Research — to commercialize Peltier cooling technology and enhance its performance. The DA Business primarily focused on Peltier-technology-based product development, leading to the launch of the Bespoke AI Hybrid Refrigerator in early 2024. Samsung Research and Global Technology Research, meanwhile, drove technological advancement by developing high-performance Peltier devices with improved output and durability.
Around the same time, Samsung Research also initiated global collaboration efforts to pursue breakthroughs in fundamental technologies. In late 2023, it partnered with Johns Hopkins APL in the United States eventually launching an eight-month-long full-scale joint research project in April the following year.
The core objective of this joint research was to leverage Johns Hopkins University’s nano-thin-film Peltier device technology to boost the output of conventional milliwatt-class Peltier devices to several tens of watts, paving the way for a high-efficiency thin-film Peltier system suitable for integration into home appliances.
Over the course of the project, Samsung Electronics particularly demonstrated strengths in system design and packaging technology. As Peltier cooling involves simultaneous heat absorption and heat generation occur simultaneously on opposite sides of the device, performance can drop sharply if the temperature difference between the two sides is not minimized. During the process of applying the nano-thin-film Peltier devices — structured differently compared to conventional ones — directly to refrigerators, challenges such as increased contact thermal resistance, which hindered heat transfer, or unstable performance arose. As a result, packaging solutions that enable efficient heat transfer on both sides of the Peltier device became one of the core components in developing a high-efficiency Peltier cooling system.
“We designed a new packaging method to become the world’s first to apply nano-thin-film Peltier devices to refrigerators.”
– Sungjin Jung, Samsung Research, Samsung Electronics
“Through simulations and iterative testing, we identified the root causes of the issues and designed new thermal interface materials (TIM) and assembly techniques to enable efficient heat transfer,” Jung explained.
This newly developed next-generation thin-film Peltier device boasts a cooling efficiency approximately 75% higher than conventional devices. By minimizing heat loss on each side of the Peltier device, the joint research demonstrated the potential for developing high-efficiency cooling appliances using the new technology.
Bringing Peltier Cooling Technology Into Everyday Life
With Samsung Research and Johns Hopkins APL having developed the next-generation Peltier cooling technology, it was now the DA Business’s turn to translate this technology into consumer products.
“With this next-generation Peltier cooling technology, we plan to introduce an even more advanced hybrid refrigerator.”
– Hajin Jeong, DA Business, Samsung Electronics
In the Bespoke AI Hybrid Refrigerator Samsung launched in 2024, the compressor operates under normal conditions such as routine storage and retrieval, while the Peltier device activates alongside the compressor during high-load situations — like when storing large amounts of groceries or placing hot food inside — thereby enhancing both cooling performance and energy efficiency. Additionally, when defrosting frost inside the cooling unit, the Peltier device remains active, minimizing internal temperature fluctuations during the process.
In sections where both cooling mechanisms operate simultaneously, optimal efficiency hinged on the layout design. “Since the compressor is located at the lower rear, we redesigned the interior structure to position the Peltier device at the top, where it wouldn’t be affected by heat interference,” explained Jeong.
As a result, the refrigerator reduced power consumption by as much as 30% compared to the top grade of Korea’s energy efficiency rating labeling system,1 while also significantly improving its ability to maintain a stable internal temperature.
The DA Business’ vision for hybrid refrigeration continues to evolve. Currently available only in select markets such as Korea, the U.S. and Europe, the company is accelerating joint development with Samsung Research to create models that can operate reliably even in hot and humid tropical regions such as India.
With the application of Samsung’s next-generation Peltier cooling technology, the hybrid refrigerators of tomorrow are expected to deliver even greater cooling performance and energy efficiency. “Integrating this next-generation Peltier cooling technology into our existing hybrid refrigerators will enable more precise temperature control and further reduce power consumption,” said Jeong.
Toward a Fully Refrigerant-Free Future
Peltier cooling is also a technology for a better planet. Refrigerants commonly used in refrigerators can damage the ozone layer and contribute to global warming if released, prompting increasingly strict regulations in the U.S. and Europe. Against this backdrop, Peltier cooling technology is gaining recognition as a versatile, energy-efficient solution.
Samsung Electronics has set a medium- to long-term goal of going beyond hybrid structures to develop a fully refrigerant-free refrigerator powered solely by Peltier cooling technology.
“There’s still considerable research ahead before we can create a fully refrigerant-free refrigerator,” said Sungjin Jung . “Moving forward, we plan to unlock new possibilities in Peltier cooling by integrating other cutting-edge technologies such as AI, semiconductor processing and 3D printing into our work.”
“The DA Business and Samsung Research are working in lockstep from a product development standpoint to perfect this next-generation technology and fast-track its commercialization,” added Hajin Jeong.
Samsung Electronics remains committed to not only innovating home appliances, but also transforming the very paradigm of cooling technology. The future of refrigeration is being shaped by next-generation Peltier cooling — and the evolution is only just beginning.
1 Based on the energy efficiency rating of the 2024 Bespoke AI Hybrid Refrigerator model RF91DB90LE**, as registered with the Korea Energy Agency. Compared against the minimum threshold for Grade 1 under the KEA’s energy efficiency rating labeling system.