Year: 2006
Type: article
Abstract: A new solid-state thermionic device structure is proposed, which employs short-period superlattices to reduce heat backflow in the device while maintaining good electrical transport. Short-period superlattices have been shown to have thermal conductivities significantly lower than their bulk constituents or the relevant alloy. Here we discuss how this might be utilized to achieve higher efficiencies in thermionic devices. The barrier in a conventional device is replaced by a short-period superlattice with periodicity selected based on experiments reporting their low thermal conductivity. Calculations are performed showing how the nature of this structure affects the cooling current due to electrons flowing in the device and how it can be optimized. Such a device could significantly out-perform a conventional solid-state thermionic device. Finally, we discuss how this device structure provides a logical progression in design methodology from conventional multi-barrier thermionics to the current state-of-the-art thermoelectric devices.
Authors: M F O'Dwyer, T E Humphrey, R A Lewis, C Zhang
Institutions: University of Wollongong, University of Geneva
Language: English
Subfield: Materials Chemistry
Field: Materials Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
Funder: European Commission
OpenAlex ID: W2090226433