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US 6,598,403 B1Granted
Nanoscopic thermoelectric refrigerators
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorUttam Shyamalindu Ghoshal
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A thermoelectric cooling system integrating quantum cold point connections with lateral thermoelectric element formation. A preferred system has an n-type and p-type thermoelectric element, each connected to a common conducting section. The thermoelectric elements are each tapered at the end where they contact the common conducting section. The thermoelectric elements preferably all occupy substantially the same plane as each other and as the common conducting section.
Claims27
A thermoelectric cooling system, comprising:
- first and second thermoelectric elements formed over a substrate, the first and second thermoelectric elements each connected to a first conducting section;
- a second conducting section connected to the first thermoelectric element;
- a third conducting section connected to the second thermoelectric element;
- wherein the first thermoelectric element has a smaller surface contact area with the first conducting section than it has with the second conducting section;
- wherein the second thermoelectric element has a smaller surface contact area with the first conducting section than it has with the third conducting section;
- and
- wherein the first and second thermoelectric elements are formed in substantially the same plane as the first, second, and third conducting sections occupy.
4 more elements
A thermoelectric cooling system, comprising:
- an n-type thermoelectric element and a p-type thermoelectric element each coupled to a first conducting section;
- a second conducting section connected to the n-type element;
- a third conducting section connected to the p-type element;
- wherein the n-type element, the p-type element, and the first, second, and third conducting sections substantially occupy the same plane.
1 more element
A thermoelectric cooling system, comprising:
- a plurality of thermoelectric elements, each element of the plurality having a connection to a common conducting section;
- wherein the plurality of elements and the common conducting section substantially occupy the same plane.
A method of forming a thermoelectric cooling system, comprising the steps of:
- forming a substrate, the substrate having an insulating layer thereon;
- forming a conducting layer above the insulating layer to form a multi-layer structure;
- in a first region, removing a first part of the multi-layer structure from the substrate such that the first region is bounded by a first section of the multi-layer structure and a second section of the multi-layer structure;
- in a second region, removing a second part of the multi-layer structure from the substrate such that the second region is bounded by the second section of the multi-layer structure and a third section of the multi-layer structure;
- forming between the conducting layer of the first section of the multi-layer structure and the conducting layer of the second section of the multi-layer structure a first thermoelectric element;
- forming between the conducting layer of the second section of the multi-layer structure and the conducting layer of the third section of the multi-layer structure a second thermoelectric element.
3 more elements
A thermoelectric cooling system, comprising:
- means for forming a substrate, the substrate having an insulating layer thereon;
- means for forming a conducting layer above the insulating layer to form a multi-layer structure;
- in a first region, means for removing a first part of the multi-layer structure from the substrate such that the first region is bounded by a first section of the multi-layer structure and a second section of the multi-layer structure;
- in a second region, means for removing a second part of the multi-layer structure from the substrate such that the second region is bounded by the second section of the multi-layer structure and a third section of the multi-layer structure;
- means for forming between the conducting layer of the first section of the multi-layer structure and the conducting layer of the second section of the multi-layer structure a first thermoelectric element;
- means for forming between the conducting layer of the second section of the multi-layer structure and the conducting layer of the third section of the multi-layer structure a second thermoelectric element.
3 more elements
A thermoelectric cooling system, comprising:
- a first row of n-type thermoelectric elements, each connected to a first conducting section;
- a first row of p-type thermoelectric elements, each connected to the first conducting section;
- a second conducting section connected to each of the n-type elements;
- a third conducting section connected to each of the p-type elements;
- wherein the first row of n-type elements and the first row of p-type elements form an array of thermoelectric coolers which collectively cool the first conducting section when a current is applied to the cooling system;
- wherein the first row of n-type elements and the first row of p-type elements occupy substantially the same plane as the first conducting section.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.