System and method for using pre-equilibrium ballistic charge carrier refraction
AssigneeNeoKismet, L.L.C.
InventorsJawahar M. Gidwani, Anthony C. Zuppero
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Abstract
A method and system for using a method of pre-equilibrium ballistic charge carrier refraction comprises fabricating one or more solid-state electric generators. The solid-state electric generators include one or more of a chemically energized solid-state electric generator and a thermionic solid-state electric generator. A first material having a first charge carrier effective mass is used in a solid-state junction. A second material having a second charge carrier effective mass greater than the first charge carrier effective mass is used in the solid-state junction. A charge carrier effective mass ratio between the second effective mass and the first effective mass is greater than or equal to two.
Claims31
A solid-state electric generator, comprising:
- a thermally energized nanoscopic thermionic energy converter comprising:
- a first material including a plurality of nanoscopic conducting clusters;
- a second material, the second material being a porous semiconductor material, wherein the first material is over the second material and in contact with the second material to form a solid-state junction;
- a plurality of electrical conductor contacts in electrical connection with the first material but not in electrical connection with the second material;
- a heat source in thermal contact with the thermally energized nanoscopic thermionic energy converter, wherein heat produced by the heat source energizes a charge carrier from the first material to the second material;
- and
- a heat sink coupled to the second material that removes heat from the thermally energized nanoscopic thermionic energy converter, the heat sink having a heat sink temperature higher than an ambient temperature.
A solid-state electric generator comprising:
- a thermally energized nanoscopic thermionic energy converter connected to a chemically energized pre-equilibrium electric generator, comprising:
- a solid-state junction comprising a first material over and in contact with a second material, the first material comprising a nanoscopic conducting cluster, the second material being porous semiconductor material;
- one or more electrical conductor contacts in electrical contact with the first material but not in electrical contact with the second material;
- the chemically energized pre-equilibrium electric generator in thermal contact with the thermally energized nanoscopic thermionic energy converter, wherein heat produced by the chemically energized pre-equilibrium electric generator energizes a charge carrier from the first material to the second material of the thermally energized nanoscopic thermionic energy converter;
- and
- a heat sink coupled to the second material of the thermally energized nanoscopic thermionic energy converter that removes heat from the thermally energized nanoscopic thermionic energy converter, the heat sink having a heat sink temperature higher than an ambient temperature.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.