InP-Based Thermionic Coolers

Abstract

Thermoelectric coolers are important elements of many optoelectronic systems. Current commercial coolers are based on non-conventional semiconductors such as BiTe. In this paper we analyze the prospect of InP based material to fabricate coolers that can be integrated with optoelectronic components. Experimental results are shown where thermionic emission current in InGaAs/InGaAsP heterostructures is used to enhance the cooling power of conventional bulk material. About one degree cooling over 1 micrometer thick barrier is observed (i.e. a cooling power of 200-300W/sq cm). Calculations for InGaAs/InAlAs superlattices show that single stage cooling by as much as 20-30 degrees should be possible.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
May 20, 1999
Accession Number
ADA461814

Entities

People

  • Ali H. Shakouri
  • Chris Labounty
  • Joachim Piprek
  • John E. Bowers
  • Patrick Abraham

Organizations

  • University of California, Santa Cruz

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Energy and Power Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Abstracts
  • Availability
  • Bulk Materials
  • California
  • Classification
  • Compound Semiconductors
  • Contracts
  • Electronics
  • Emission
  • Engineering
  • Heterojunctions
  • Information Operations
  • Instructions
  • Materials
  • Micrometers
  • Semiconductors
  • Thermionic Emission

Fields of Study

  • Materials science

Readers

  • Quantum Dot Semiconductor Device Photonics and Graphene Optoelectronic Materials and THz Physics.
  • Thermal Physics or Thermal Science.

Technology Areas

  • Microelectronics