[17p-F314-1~13] 13.6 Nanostructures, quantum phenomena, and nano quantum devices

▲ [17p-F314-9] Thermionic Refrigeration Effect Based on Semiconductor Heterostructures

〇(M2)Tifei Yan¹, Aymen Yangui^1,2, Marc Bescond^1,2, Naomi Nagai¹, Kazuhiko Hirakawa^1,2,3 (1.IIS, 2.LIMMS, 3.INQIE)

Keywords:Thermionic cooling, Refrigeration

As the number of transistors on LSIs increases, a new technology to remove the heat energy dissipated from transistors and reduce the chip temperature is urgently required. We have fabricated a novel semiconductor heterostructure refrigeration device. This device utilizes both tunneling carrier injection and thermionic emission. A quantum well (QW) is sandwiched by two asymmetric potential barriers. In this structure, low energy electrons are injected from the emitter into the quantum well by resonant tunneling through the first thin and high barrier. These electrons absorb heat in the QW and are thermionically emitted over the thicker and low barrier. This thick barrier also works as a wall to reduce the heat backflow. In this system, the low-energy carrier injection and subsequent thermionic emission give rise to refrigeration in the QW.