RESONANT DOPED BISMUTH TELLURIDE FOR RELIABLE, EFFICIENT CRYOCOOLING

THE UTILITY OF RELIABLE, SOLID-STATE, THERMOELECTRIC COOLING TECHNOLOGY CAN BE EXTENDED TO CRYOGENIC TEMPERATURES (77 DEGREES K) THROUGH THE USE OF NEW THERMOELECTRIC MATERIALS. A UNIQUE AND INNOVATIVE APPROACH TO IMPROVED THERMOELECTRIC MATERIALS CAPABLE OF TRIPLING THE THERMOELECTRIC FIGURE OF MERIT OF BISMUTH-TELLURIDE- BASED THERMOELECTRIC MATERIALS IS PROPOSED. IN ADDITION TO THE CON- VENTIONAL DOPANTS USED TO CREATE CHARGE CARRIERS IN BISMUTH TELLU- RIDE, ADDITIONAL DOPANTS WILL BE INTRODUCED WHICH, THROUGH RESONANT SCATTERING OF THE CHARGE CARRIERS, PRODUCE A DRAMATIC IMPROVEMENT IN THE SEEBECK COEFFICIENT AND THEREFORE IN THE ABILITY OF THE MATERIALS TO CONVERT INPUT ENERGY INTO COOLING POWER. THE PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF THE MATERIALS WILL BE LITTLE ALTERED AND THEREFORE PRACTICAL CRYO- COOLING DEVICES MAY BE DEVELOPED RELATIVELY EASILY FROM THESE ADVANCED BISMUTH TELLURIDE MATERIALS. EXTENSION OF THERMOELECTRIC COOLING TO CRYOGENIC TEMPERATURES IS EXPECTED TO BE USEFUL TO A WIDE VARIETY OF APPLICATIONS INCLUDING INFRARED SENSORS.