Integrated microthermoelectric coolers with rapid response time and high device reliability
Author: ["Guodong Li","Javier Garcia Fernandez","David Alberto Lara Ramos","Vida Barati","Nicolás Pérez","Ivan Soldatov","Heiko Reith","Gabi Schierning","Kornelius Nielsch"]
Publication: Nature Electronics
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Abstract
Microthermoelectric modules are of potential use in fields such as energy harvesting, thermal management, thermal imaging and high-spatial-resolution temperature sensing. In particular, microthermoelectric coolers (µ-TECs)—in which the application of an electric current cools the device—can be used to manage heat locally in microelectronic circuits. However, a cost-effective µ-TEC device that is compatible with the modern semiconductor fabrication industry has not yet been developed. Furthermore, the device performance of µ-TECs in terms of transient responses, cycling reliability and cooling stability has not been adequately assessed. Here we report the fabrication of µ-TECs that offer a rapid response time of 1 ms, reliability of up to 10 million cycles and a cooling stability of more than 1 month at constant electric current. The high cooling reliability and stability of our µ-TEC module can be attributed to a design of free-standing top contacts between the thermoelectric legs and metallic bridges, which reduces the thermomechanical stress in the devices. A free-standing top contact design reduces the thermomechanical stress in microthermoelectric coolers, resulting in improved reliability and cooling stability.
Cite this article
Li, G., Garcia Fernandez, J., Lara Ramos, D.A. et al. Integrated microthermoelectric coolers with rapid response time and high device reliability. Nat Electron 1, 555–561 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41928-018-0148-3
