| 摘要 |
The present invention embodies a solid state thermionic energy converter and is directed to a method and apparatus (10, 104, 108) for conversion of thermal energy to electrical energy, and electrical energy to refrigeration. The present invention maintains a thermal separation between an emitter (12) and a collector (16) through a fractional surface contact (13, 42, 44) of decreasing cross-sectional area towards the point of contact. The fractional surface contacts (13, 42, 44) may be associated with the emitter (12), a barrier (14), or the collector (16). Maintaining a thermal separation between the emitter (12) and the collector (16) provides for ballistic electron transport through the barrier (14) and reduces the transport of electrons through thermal conductivity. Hence, the efficiency is increased through the collection of ballistic electrons and the reduction of thermal conductivity electrons which cannot be collected. The inventive principle works for hole conductivity, as well as for electrons.
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