THERMOPILE Russian patent published in 1999 - IPC

FIELD: semiconductor devices. SUBSTANCE: thermopile depending for its operation of Peltier effect has semiconductor p and n circuits interconnected by switching buses, current ducts, and metal heat-transfer junctions, 0.5-6 mm thick, that may be made of aluminum, aluminum covered with oxide film, 3-150 mcm thick, or copper covered with insulating material such as organic varnish, alumina, silicon nitride, etc. These heat-transfer junctions increase resistance to heat shocks and reduce thermal stress loss in heat-transfer junctions. Thermopile is provided with thermal stress compensating means raising its cooling effect and made in the form of flexible heat-conducting insulating material with thermal conductivity at least 0.3 W/mK, elastic strain not lower than 30%, and YoungТs modulus not over 95 MPa; material layer thickness makes up 0.001 of switching bus length. Thermocouple also has additional thermal stress compensating means in the form of through slits at least in one heat-transfer junction filled with flexible material or in the form of embossing on heat-transfer junctions, or in the form of flexible heat- insulating material arranged over periphery of heat-transfer junction to fill up space between junctions; in this case, YoungТs modulus of flexible heat-conducting insulating material is not to exceed 1 MPa. In addition, flexible heat-conducting insulating material between buses and heat-transfer junctions may be heterogeneous, that is, its YoungТs modulus in central part may be at least 0.5 MPa and on periphery, nor over 0.1 MPa. EFFECT: enlarged functional capabilities, extended service life, and improved thermal characteristics of thermopile. 9 cl, 4 dwg