Not sure it's short term, but this could change a few things in the ASIC world…
Researchers at UT Arlington have created the first electronic device that can cool electrons to -228 degrees Celsius (-375F), without any kind of external cooling. The chip itself remains at room temperature, while a quantum well within the device cools the electrons down cryogenic temperatures. Why is this exciting? Because thermal excitation (heat) is by far the biggest problem when it comes to creating both high-performance and ultra-low-power computers. These cryogenic, quantum well-cooled electrons could allow for the creation of electronic devices that consume 10 times less energy than current devices, according to the researchers.
Source:
http://www.extremetech.com/extreme/189999-on-chip-quantum-wells-create-cryogenic-electrons-computers-that-consume-10x-less-power
