Highly-integrated thermoelectric cooler

A thermoelectric structure comprising:

• a heat sink;
• epitaxial thermoelectric elements of a first conductivity type and epitaxial thermoelectric elements of a second conductivity type disposed on the heat sink;
• and
• a device substrate including an electronic device to be cooled by the epitaxial thermoelectric elements of the first conductivity type and the second conductivity type,
• wherein the device substrate has on a backside thereof metal patterns to interconnect the epitaxial thermoelectric elements of the first conductivity type to the epitaxial thermoelectric elements of a second conductivity type.

A thermoelectric structure comprising:

• a heat sink;
• one or more metallic posts;
• epitaxial thermoelectric elements of a first conductivity type and epitaxial thermoelectric elements of a second conductivity type disposed in thermal contact with the heat sink;
• one or more thin film metallic layers or thin film electrical isolation layers intervening between the heat sink and the one or more metallic posts or intervening between the thermoelectric elements and the heat sink;
• said thermal contact with the heat sink comprising only the metallic posts and said one or more thin film metallic layers or thin film electrical isolation layers;
• and
• a device substrate including an electronic device to be cooled by the epitaxial thermoelectric elements of the first conductivity type and the second conductivity type

A thermoelectric structure comprising:

• a heat sink;
• epitaxial thermoelectric elements of a first conductivity type and epitaxial thermoelectric elements of a second conductivity type disposed on the heat sink without an intervening heat spreader;
• and
• a device substrate including an electronic device to be cooled by the epitaxial thermoelectric elements of the first conductivity type and the second conductivity type.

A thermoelectric structure comprising:

• a heat sink;
• epitaxial thermoelectric elements of a first conductivity type and epitaxial thermoelectric elements of a second conductivity type disposed on the heat sink;
• and
• a device substrate including an electronic device to be cooled by the epitaxial thermoelectric elements of the first conductivity type and the second conductivity type,
• wherein the device substrate is disposed in thermal contact with the epitaxial thermoelectric elements of the first and second conductivity types only via one or more thin film metallic layers or one or more thin film electrical isolation layers.

A thermoelectric structure comprising:

• a heat sink;
• epitaxial thermoelectric elements of a first conductivity type and epitaxial thermoelectric elements of a second conductivity type disposed on the heat sink;
• and
• a device substrate including an electronic device to be cooled by the epitaxial thermoelectric elements of the first conductivity type and the second conductivity type,
• wherein the device substrate is disposed in thermal contact with the epitaxial thermoelectric elements of the first and second conductivity types without an intervening heat spreader.

A thermoelectric structure comprising:

• a heat sink;
• active thermoelectric TE materials comprising epitaxial thermoelectric elements of a first conductivity type and epitaxial thermoelectric elements of a second conductivity type disposed on the heat sink;
• and
• a device substrate including an electronic device to be cooled by the epitaxial thermoelectric elements of the first conductivity type and the second conductivity type,
• wherein a percentage of thermal resistance that is due to parasitic thermal resistances other than a thermal resistance of the active TE materials is between 5 and 15% of total thermal resistance.