Theory of Minority Carrier Thermoelectric Cooling

Abstract

The possibility of backward injection of minority carriers in p‐n junctions is shown. It is predicted that in a forward‐biased p‐n junction where this type of injection occurs, heat energy is pumped out of the junction causing it to cool off. Some conditions which lead to backward injection of minority carriers are described. Theory is presented for a particular p‐n junction model in which this new cooling effect takes place. It is shown that a given dc electrical energy may be used to pump nearly an equal amount of heat energy from one of the junctions to the neighboring ones provided that the junction temperatures are sufficiently close to each other.