Energy harvesting and conversion on 2D scale: Demokritos’ Researcher wins ERC Starting Grant to create mini power plant on a chip

If you have ever felt your phone getting hot in your hand, you have experienced a common problem of modern electronics: waste heat. As devices become more powerful and compact, they generate more heat that is difficult to dissipate. This reduces their efficiency, performance, lifespan, and reliability. Moreover, waste heat contributes to global warming and energy poverty as it represents a huge amount of unused energy that could be harnessed for other purposes.

Electronic companies and research institutions around the world are very keen on solving this problem. After receiving a European Research Council (ERC) starting grant from the European Commission, Alexandros El Sachat, a Postdoctoral Researcher at the Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology of NCSR Demokritos, is now ready to tackle it.

The focus of El Sachat’s research is the study of thermal and thermoelectric transport phenomena in low-dimensional materials at the nanoscale. His project, entitled “NanoThermoelectrics: Harnessing Thermal Fluctuations for On-Chip Energy Conversion,” aims to utilize waste heat as a source of energy on a chip while reducing hot spots on electrical circuits and devices and enhancing their performance. “Our goal is to create innovative thermoelectric generators that could capture and direct the thermal energy generated by the random motion of propagated phonons and electrons in a circuit and transform it into useful electric energy. This energy could be used for the power supply of other components electrically decoupled from the chip circuitry and for active cooling of hotspots,” he explains. Achieving his objective could have significant implications for nanoelectronics, IT and communication technologies, renewable energy, and smart sensors.

ERC Starting Grants and the future of research

El Sachat is among the few researchers awarded the prestigious ERC Starting Grant for his pioneering work in nanothermoelectrics in 2023. The ERC Starting Grants are one of the most important funding schemes in Europe for early career researchers who aspire to become leaders in their fields. They support scientific excellence and innovation across all disciplines and foster a competitive and diverse research system in Europe. They enable researchers to explore new research fields, address societal challenges, and contribute to a science-based industry.

The grant will definitely have a strong impact on the career of Alexandros El Sachat by establishing him as a versatile expert on energy transport at the nanoscale while consolidating and broadening his network and visibility among his peers. Dr. El Sachat will create a new research line in Greece by building a research lab dedicated on energy transport phenomena at the nanoscale. His research is expected to impact the energy transport field at the European level in terms of scientific pioneering and knowledge that can be used for energy harvesting and ICT innovations.

Greece needs to invest more in research and innovation

According to the European Innovation Scoreboard, Greece has improved its innovation performance since 2015 but still suffers from brain drain. To reverse this trend, Greece needs to invest in Research Institutions to attract and retain talented researchers. El Sachat's starting grant is not only a personal achievement but also a valuable asset for NCSR Demokritos, which is a leading research facility, as well as a hub for incubating and accelerating entrepreneurship in deep tech, fostering links between industry, academia, and society.

Over the last few years the landscape of Demokritos research is rapidly transforming, embracing new interdisciplinary application fields in AI, quantum computing, autonomous microsystems, and digital manufacturing. Impactful discoveries are harnessed in nanotechnology, novel materials and devices, energy and the green transition and telecommunications. The attraction of talented researchers is today the major challenge in our quest to becoming a leader in deep tech innovation. By investing in research and human capital, Demokritos is creating opportunities for growth and prosperity for Greece and Europe.

Thank you to Dr. Eva Karatairi for additional research and reporting on this article.

I’m the Director and Chairman of the Board of the National Centre for Scientific Research “Demokritos,” one of the largest, multidisciplinary public Research Canters of Greece. At Demokritos, we are committed to producing scientific knowledge and discovery, advancing and promoting technology with the aim of making a positive impact on a global scale.

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