Vacuum Microelectronic Thermoelectric Cooler

The $100B thermal control market is dominated by compressed gas technology. Peltier devices are an interesting solid state alternative to standard compressor technology; however, these devices are grossly inefficient and are not capable of removing massive quantities of heat. Nonetheless, a solid state device is needed that overcomes the inefficiencies of standard thermoelectric refrigerators. This project will develop a vacuum microelectronic thermoelectric cooling (VMETEC) device that promises to offer much greater cooling efficiencies than Peltier devices, while retaining the benefits of these devices (solid state, low cost, small individual unit size, quiet, localized cooling, etc.). Commercial Applications and other Benefits as described by the awardee:With the worldwide refrigeration market exceeding $100B per year and affecting nearly every aspect of modern life, the need for more efficient and cost effective refrigeration devices is evident. A primary market for the VMETEC devices would be for active cooling of high power semiconductor electronics. This market alone is estimated to be worth more than $100M.