Heterostructure thermionic coolers

US5955772A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• The Regents of the University of California · US

Inventors

• Ali Shakouri · West Lafayette, US
• John E. Bowers · Lompoc, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Dec 17, 1996
• Grant date: Sep 21, 1999
• Expiry date: Dec 17, 2016

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H10D62/824

Abstract

A heterostructure thermionic cooler and a method for making thermionic coolers, employing a barrier layer of varying conduction bandedge for n-type material, or varying valence bandedge for p-type material, that is placed between two layers of material. The barrier layer has a high enough barrier for the cold side to only allow "hot" electrons, or electrons of high enough energy, across the barrier. The barrier layer is constructed to have an internal electric field such that the electrons that make it over the initial barrier are assisted in travel to the anode. Once electrons drop to the energy level of the anode, they lose energy to the lattice, thus heating the lattice at the anode. The barrier height of the barrier layer is high enough to prevent the electrons from traveling in the reverse direction.