Solid-state thermionic refrigeration

A solid state thermionic refrigerator with a two-sided thermal circuit, comprising:

• finite number N of elements Ei, 1≦i≦N, each of said elements Ei having:
• at least one potential barrier segment Bi, and
• at least one wire equivalent segment Wi in contact with said at least one potential barrier segment Bi at a barrier contact BCi, wherein:
• each of said wire-equivalent segment Wi has a terminal end Ti opposite to said barrier contact BCi;
• each said at least one potential barrier segment Bi comprises at least a first solid state region with a first doping level in physical contact with at least a second solid state region with a second doping level;
• said at least first solid state region and said at least second solid state region establish a potential energy barrier to electric carriers;
• said at least first solid state region and said at least second solid state region are disposed with respect to each other so that the circulation of a negative electrical charge experiences an increasing potential energy barrier when circulating from one of said at least first solid state region and said second solid state region to the other of said at least first solid state region and said second solid state region;
• each said element Ej, 2≦j≦N−1, has a connectivity with neighboring elements such that:
• terminal end Tj is in electrical communication through a hot ohmic contact with terminal end Tj−1, wherein said hot ohmic contact is located between Tj and Tj−1, but Tj is not in direct electrical communication through an ohmic contact directly connecting Tj with Tj+1;
• potential barrier segment Bj is in electrical communication through a cold ohmic contact with potential barrier segment Bj+1, wherein said cold ohmic contact is located between Bj and Bj+1, but Bj is not in direct electrical communication through an ohmic contact directly connecting Bj with Bj−1;
• elements E1 and E2 are in electrical communication with each other through an ohmic contact;
• elements EN−1 and EN are in electrical communication with each other through an ohmic contact;
• and elements E1 and EN are configured for electrical communication with an exterior electrical circuit.

A solid state superconducting thermionic refrigerator, comprising:

• at least one first tier comprising a finite number N of elements Ei, 1≦i≦N;
• and
• at least one second tier comprising a finite number M of superconducting elements SEj, 1≦j≦M;
• wherein
• each of said elements Ei has:
• at least one potential barrier segment Bi, and
• at least one wire equivalent segment Wi in contact with said at least one potential barrier segment Bi at a barrier contact BCi, wherein:
• each of said wire-equivalent segment Wi has a terminal end Ti opposite to said barrier contact BCi;
• each said at least one potential barrier segment Bi comprises at least a first solid state region with a first doping level in physical contact with at least a second solid state region with a second doping level;
• said at least first solid state region and said at least second solid state region establish a potential energy barrier to electric carriers;
• said at least first solid state region and said at least second solid state region are disposed with respect to each other so that the circulation of a negative electrical charge experiences an increasing potential energy barrier when circulating from one of said at least first solid state region and said second solid state region to the other of said at least first solid state region and said second solid state region;
• each said element Ei′, 2≦i′≦N−1, has a connectivity with neighboring elements such that:
• terminal end Ti′ is in electrical communication through a hot ohmic contact with terminal end Ti′−1, wherein said hot ohmic contact is located between Ti′ and Ti′−1, but Ti′ is not in direct electrical communication through an ohmic contact directly connecting Ti′ with Ti′+1;
• potential barrier segment Bi′ is in electrical communication through a cold ohmic contact with potential barrier segment Bi′+1, wherein said cold ohmic contact is located between Bi′ and Bi′+1, but Bi′ is not in direct electrical communication through an ohmic contact directly connecting Bi′ with Bi′−1;
• elements E1 and E2 are in electrical communication with each other through an ohmic contact;
• elements EN−1 and EN are in electrical communication with each other through an ohmic contact;
• and elements E1 and EN are configured for electrical communication with an exterior electrical circuit;
• and
• each of said superconducting elements SEj has:
• at least one potential barrier segment SBj, and
• at least one superconducting wire equivalent segment SWj in contact with said at least one potential barrier segment SBj at a superconducting barrier contact SBCj, wherein:
• each said at least one potential barrier segment SBj comprises at least a first solid state region with a first doping level in physical contact with at least a second solid state region with a second doping level;
• each of said superconducting wire equivalent segment SWj has a superconducting terminal end STj opposite to said superconducting barrier contact SBCj;
• said at least first solid state region and said at least second solid state region establish a potential energy barrier to electric carriers;
• said at least first solid state region and said at least second solid state region are disposed with respect to each other so that the circulation of a negative electrical charge experiences an increasing potential energy barrier when circulating from one of said at least first solid state region and said second solid state region to the other of said at least first solid state region and said second solid state region;
• each said superconducting element SEj′, 2≦j′≦M−1, has a connectivity with neighboring elements such that:
• superconducting terminal end STj′ is in electrical communication through a superconducting element hot ohmic contact with superconducting terminal end STj′−1, wherein said superconducting element hot ohmic contact is located between STj′ and STj′−1, but STj′ is not in direct electrical communication through an ohmic contact directly connecting STj′ with STj′+1;
• potential barrier segment SBj′ is in electrical communication through a superconducting element cold ohmic contact with SBj′+1, wherein said superconducting element cold ohmic contact is located between SBj′ and SBj′+1, but SBj′ is not in direct electrical communication through an ohmic contact directly connecting SBj′ with SBj′−1;
• superconducting elements SE1 and SE2 are in electrical communication with each other through an ohmic contact;
• superconducting elements SEN−1 and SEN are in electrical communication with each other through an ohmic contact;
• and superconducting elements SE1 and SEN are configured for electrical communication with an exterior electrical circuit;
• and
• said superconducting element hot ohmic contacts are separated from said cold ohmic contacts by a separator that is in contact with said superconducting element hot ohmic contacts and with said cold ohmic contacts.

A solid state superconducting thermionic refrigerator, comprising:

• at least one first tier comprising a finite number N of elements Ei, 1≦i≦N;
• and
• at least one second tier comprising a finite number M of superconducting elements SEj, 1≦j≦M;
• wherein
• each of said elements Ei has:
• at least one potential barrier segment Bi, and
• at least one wire equivalent segment Wi in contact with said at least one barrier segment Bi at a barrier contact BCi, wherein:
• each of said wire-equivalent segment Wi has a terminal end Ti opposite to said barrier contact BCi;
• each said at least one potential barrier segment Bi comprises at least a first solid state region with a first doping level in physical contact with at least a second solid state region with a second doping level;
• said at least first solid state region and said at least second solid state region establish a potential energy barrier to electric carriers;
• said at least first solid state region and said at least second solid state region are disposed with respect to each other so that the circulation of a negative electrical charge experiences an increasing potential energy barrier when circulating from one of said at least first solid state region and said second solid state region to the other of said at least first solid state region and said second solid state region;
• wherein N=2, and E1 and E2 are in electrical communication with each other through an ohmic contact and E1 and E2 are configured for electrical connection with an exterior electrical circuit;
• and
• each of said superconducting elements SEj has:
• at least one potential barrier segment SBj, and
• at least one superconducting wire equivalent segment SWj in contact with said at least one potential barrier segment SBj at a superconducting barrier contact SBCj, wherein:
• each said at least one potential barrier segment SBj comprises at least a first solid state region with a first doping level in physical contact with at least a second solid state region with a second doping level;
• each of said superconducting wire equivalent segment SWj has a superconducting terminal end STj opposite to said superconducting barrier contact SBCj;
• said at least first solid state region and said at least second solid state region establish a potential energy barrier to electric carriers;
• said at least first solid state region and said at least second solid state region are disposed with respect to each other so that the circulation of a negative electrical charge experiences an increasing potential energy barrier when circulating from one of said at least first solid state region and said second solid state region to the other of said at least first solid state region and said second solid state region;
• each said superconducting element SEj′, 2≦j′≦M−1, has a connectivity with neighboring elements such that:
• superconducting terminal end STj is in electrical communication through a superconducting element hot ohmic contact with superconducting terminal end STj′−1, wherein said superconducting element hot ohmic contact is located between STj′ and STj′−1, but STj′ is not in direct electrical communication through an ohmic contact directly connecting STj′ with STj′+1;
• potential barrier segment SBj′ is in electrical communication through a superconducting element cold ohmic contact with SBj′+1, wherein said superconducting element cold ohmic contact is located between SBj′ and SBj′+1, but SBj′ is not in direct electrical communication through an ohmic contact directly connecting SBj with SBj′−1;
• superconducting elements SE1 and SE2 are in electrical communication with each other through an ohmic contact;
• superconducting elements SEM−1 and SEM are in electrical communication with each other through an ohmic contact;
• and superconducting elements SE1 and SEM are configured for electrical communication with an exterior electrical circuit;
• and
• said superconducting element hot ohmic contacts are separated from said cold ohmic contacts by a separator that is in contact with said superconducting element hot ohmic contacts and with said cold ohmic contacts.

A solid state superconducting thermionic refrigerator, comprising:

• at least one first tier comprising a finite number N of elements Ei, 1≦i≦N;
• and
• at least one second tier comprising a finite number M of superconducting elements SEj, 1≦j≦M;
• wherein
• each of said elements Ei has:
• at least one potential barrier segment Bi, and at least one wire equivalent segment Wi in contact with said at least one potential barrier segment Bi at a barrier contact BCi, wherein:
• each of said wire-equivalent segment Wi has a terminal end Ti opposite to said barrier contact BCi;
• each said at least one potential barrier segment Bi comprises at least a first solid state region with a first doping level in physical contact with at least a second solid state region with a second doping level;
• said at least first solid state region and said at least second solid state region establish a potential energy barrier to electric carriers;
• said at least first solid state region and said at least second solid state region are disposed with respect to each other so that the circulation of a negative electrical charge experiences an increasing potential energy barrier when circulating from one of said at least first solid state region and said second solid state region to the other of said at least first solid state region and said second solid state region;
• each said element Ei′, 2≦i′≦N−1, has a connectivity with neighboring elements such that:
• terminal end Ti is in electrical communication through a hot ohmic contact with terminal end Ti′−1, wherein said hot ohmic contact is located between Ti′ and Ti′−1, but Ti′ is not in direct electrical communication through an ohmic contact directly connecting Ti′ with Ti′+1;
• potential barrier segment Bi is in electrical communication through a cold ohmic contact with potential barrier segment Bi′+1, wherein said cold ohmic contact is located between Bi′ and Bi′+1, but Bi′ is not in direct electrical communication through an ohmic contact directly connecting Bi′ with Bi′−1;
• elements E1 and E2 are in electrical communication with each other through an ohmic contact;
• elements EN−1 and EN are in electrical communication with each other through an ohmic contact;
• and elements E1 and EN are configured for electrical communication with an exterior electrical circuit;
• and
• each of said superconducting elements SEj has:
• at least one potential barrier segment SBj, and
• at least one superconducting wire equivalent segment SWj in contact with said at least one potential barrier segment SBj at a superconducting barrier contact SBCj, wherein:
• each said at least one potential barrier segment SBj comprises at least a first solid state region with a first doping level in physical contact with at least a second solid state region with a second doping level;
• each of said superconducting wire equivalent segment SWj has a superconducting terminal end STj opposite to said superconducting barrier contact SBCj;
• said at least first solid state region and said at least second solid state region establish a potential energy barrier to electric carriers;
• said at least first solid state region and said at least second solid state region are disposed with respect to each other so that the circulation of a negative electrical charge experiences an increasing potential energy barrier when circulating from one of said at least first solid state region and said second solid state region to the other of said at least first solid state region and said second solid state region;
• wherein M=2, and SE1 and SE2 are in electrical communication with each other through an ohmic contact, and SE1 and SE2 are configured for electrical connection with and exterior electrical circuit;
• and
• said superconducting element hot ohmic contacts are separated from said cold ohmic contacts by a separator that is in contact with said superconducting element hot ohmic contacts and with said cold ohmic contacts.